Recycle Hair Clippings

Getting your ears lowered? Don’t underestimate the value of those hair clippings. Rather than sweeping them away to the dump, why not reuse them and get the maximum value from an often overlooked resource.

• Compost it: If you’re composting, throw clipped hair into the bin. It takes a while to break-down, but hair is full of that nitrogen composters love so much.
• Spread it: Rather than composting hair, spread it around your garden or flower bed. The hair will scare away many unwanted creatures, including snails, rabbits and raccoons. Plus, the protein and calcium in hair will feed your plants.
• Donate it: If your clippings are longer than 10 inches, donate them to “Locks for Love” and help someone desperately seeking hair.
• Nest it: Birds use lots of different materials to build their home. Place your clippings on bushes and tree branches to make nest building easier for feathered friends.
• Oil it: Strange but true – clumps of human hair have been helpful in cleaning up oil spills in San Francisco. Donate your hair to the effort and help alleviate the oily mess that comes from out addiction to oil