Clean Wave of the Future - Free Kits For Schools
2010-present
Our oil spill hair boom program has the same goal and a new tactic. The idea came to us from some wonderful engineers at Texas Instruments who contacted us during our struggles with the BP oil spill. They said that in the 70s solar panel technology came out but not enough people wanted to buy it. So some smart salesmen came to Texas Instruments and said "Could we put solar panels on your calculators that kids take to school?" Kids grew up putting their fingers over the solar panels and watching the calculator turn off and then lifting their fingers to see it turn on. And so did their parents. 20 years later these kids got jobs in energy and construction companiesand when people said, "Does solar work?" they knew it did, even in fog. And now, solar is widespread (arguably the most popular of "alternative energies")
Teachers & Students, meanwhile, were contacting us from all over the world about our oil spill demo. So, we have now made handouts, lesson plans and demo videos for classrooms, science fair projects, Boys & Girls Clubs, Scouts, after school programs, University shop classes and research projects... Click on the links below and please send us feedback of what else you'd like. team@MatterOfTrust.org If you haven't already, please sign up on our Excess Access database for news and updates. It shouldn't take 20 years. We really expect oil companies to quickly shift to using the renewable, plentiful, natural, non-toxic waste fibers instead of continuing to drill oil, to make oil based products used specifically to clean up oil spills. That is just the most annoying cycle we have come across.
According to the EPA, 50% of the oil spilled in our waterways every year comes from motor oil runoff. Booms are oil catchers, and can be made from natural waste fibers such as hair clippings from salons, fur clippings from groomers and waste fleece from alpaca, llama and other fleece farmers. Our kits are for schools to use and show how these abundant, renewable fibers soak up oil before kids' very eyes in science labs and shop classes. This is a fun tool for those who want a project to raise recycling and clean oceans awareness. We have how-to-make instructions in PDF and demonstration videos posted on Youtube.
We are always reaching out to harbors, mechanics and manufacturing as end users who need booms. Oil companies are not as accessible and we enjoy working with local small businesses and getting the immediate feedback. As these students graduate and some may want to create green businesses to help pay for college, we hope to have a database of willing end users for their natural fiber booms!
Also, check out our blog Aaaaaarg BP
Teacher/Student Oil Spill Clean Up Handout
How To Do A Classroom Fake Oil Spill Demo You can, of course, use real used motor oil but it's toxic and smells bad, so do demo outside.
Photos Of Matter Of Trust at the Gulf 2010 - Page 2
YouTube on How Hair Collects Oil
YouTube on How To Make A Boom
YouTube on Hair Boom Soaks Up Oil
YouTube - Have a Boom B Q
Sun Train Feasibility Study
2006 - Present
Total Budget: $25,000
Natural Abundance = Sunlight / Solar Power
MofT is the fiscal agent for the clean energy, solar train tracks feasibility study in partnership with Sun Train USA. This is a long-term collaborative project that involves gathering several experts and researching benefits of train systems and installation of solar panels on rails.
This study is in combination with our Zen Train Program where we are researching the possibility of having gym cars on commuter trains so that passengers, who wanted to, could use that hour exercising on elipticals and stationary bikes.
Algae Blooms Used Biodiesel Production Feasibility Study
2006 - Present
MofT General Fund
Natural Abundance = Algae
MofT is the coordinator of this program which unites Humboldt University, Biofuels, Native American Fisheries and the University of Hawaii. This is a long-term project with the mission of researching the benefits of collecting the suffocating algae blooms in the ocean and using the lipids for biodiesel.
MofT is the fiscal sponsor for this research program. Worms and greenwaste are available all over the world wherever oil spills occur. To see how worms and composting can help to remediate oil spill waste see our oil remediation Presidio study. Currently, Thomas Azwell is continuing this research at UC Berkeley to elaborate on the study by identifying the microbial mechanisms and refining the protocol for remediation. The ultimate goal is to develop an effective bioremediation method that is low-cost, time efficient, utilizes local waste materials and resources and is replicable in diverse climates for dissemination across both ecologic and economic borders.
For more information on vermiculture, castings and Worm Poop Fertilizer contact Ryan Carney at G-Rock.
Gulf Spill Hair Boom Program 2010 - CLOSED (see our Hair, Fur, Fleece Booms Free Kits For Schools Program above)
A huge International Natural Fiber Recycling mobilization took place to help get hair boom to the Gulf Coast Spill. We had 19 donated warehouses spread along Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida that received hair, fur, fleece & nylons from donors all over the US, Canada and 30 other countries! Thousands of volunteers signed up to have Stocking Stuffers and Bar B Q parties where they made the boom. Amanda Bacon in Alabama created the term "Boom B Qs."
Links:
Blog: Aaaaaarg BP
PHOTOS - Page 2
YouTube on How Hair Collects Oil
YouTube on How To Make A Boom
YouTube on Hair Boom Soaks Up Oil
YouTube - Have a Boom B Q
Oil Spill Hair Mats - CLOSED
(see our Hair, Fur, Fleece Booms Free Kits For Schools Program above)
2000-2010
Here you see hair mats, which were made in China and in textile manufacturing sites in the US, which are harder and harder to come by as this industry moves overseas.
"You shampoo, because hair collects oil. Hair is very efficient at gathering oil, skin oils off your face, oil pollution out of the air, and water, even petroleum oil spills. Hair is adsorbant (as in "clings to" unlike absorbant which is to "soak up.") There are over 370,000 hair salons in the US and each collects about 1 pound of hair a day. Right now, most of that goes into the waste stream, but it should all be made into hairmats." - Phil McCrory, inventor and stylist.
Inventor Phil McCrory and patent owners, our friends at Ottimat.com, purchase hair and manufacture hairmats in China for industrial quantities. Their mats have been EPA approved and NASA & P.2 tested. Their hair mats are also great fertilizer with a slow nitrogen and karetin protein release. Hair prevents weed growth, snail infestation and reduces water evaporation up to 50%. They would like to create green jobs and make mats in the US if the fiber collection can be organized for the textile manufacturers to make it affordable.
Hair can also be stuffed into tubes (booms) made from recycled nylons, tied together to surround and contain a spill. For the Gulf of Mexico, BP oil spill in 2010 Salons generously mailed in hair clippings. See our Blog: Aaaaaarg BP, Photos Of Matter Of Trust at the Gulf 2010 - Page 2 Salons swept up their hair clippings into plastic garbage bags, reuse the large boxes they get from shampoo deliveries and mail in the hair.
Oily-Hairmat Remediation Research - COMPLETED
2002 - 2008
MofT General Fund
Natural Abundance = Hair, Mushrooms, Fungi, Mold
Matter of Trust and Fungi.com joined forces to research if once hair soaks up oil, mushrooms can eat the oily hair and detoxify the waste to create landscape grade compost. See photos and documentation
"The roots of mushrooms, called mycelium (http://www.fungi.com/info/sems/index.html), produce enzymes that unlock wood fibers, which are composed of strings of carbon-hydrogen molecules in the form of cellulose and lignin. Similarly oil and most petroleum products are held together by similar molecular bonds. This studies if mushroom mycelium breaks these bonds, and then re-constructs the oil into carbohydrates, fungal sugars, that make up the mushroom's physical structures." Paul Stamets, Fungi.com
San Francisco Bay Area Cosco-Busan Oil Spill Eco-Cleanup With Hairmats - COMPLETED
2007- 2008
MofT General Fund
Natural Abundance = Hair, Fur, Wool
Volunteer Byron Cleary showing hairmat with many oil dollops on Baker's Beach, San Francisco, CA, November 9, 2007
On November 7, 2007 a cargo ship named Cosco-Busan accidently hit the San Francisco Bay Bridge and spilled 58,000 gallons of Bunker C fuel. Within 48 hours hundreds of concerned citizens pour onto Bay Area beaches and start soaking up oily blobs using mats made from human hair clippings that Matter of Trust had on hand. (see hairmat program)
Matter of Trust joined forces with surfers banding together to form a grassroots volunteer grassroots cleanup crew called "Kill the Spill." See our SF Beach Cleanup details and SF Beach Cleanup photo gallery.
Oily-Hairmat-Remediation- SF Bay Area Treatability Study - Phase I - COMPLETED
2007 - 2008
MofT General Fund
Natural Abundance = Human Hair, Mushrooms
Matter of Trust orchestrated a treatability study of hazardous waste oil collected by mats made from human hair clippings and the Presidio of San Francisco provided us with a space to research it's remedation. Paul Stamets of Fungi.com donated his oyster mushrooms and expertise to the project. For more information see details and photo galleries and Phase II.
Oily Hairmat Bioremediation - SF Bay Area Treatability Study - Phase II - COMPLETED
2008 - 2009
Thomas Azwel holds handful of busy worms making fertilizer out of oil waste.
After oil from a spill is collected with booms and absorbents, the standard method of disposal is incineration or landfill disposal. In an effort to avoid the environmental degradation associated with these two options, Thomas Azwell from UC Berkeley, designed a process of bioremediation to safely process oil. Because hair mats are an organically-based material, we are able to utilize natural technologies for remediation.
In 2008, Thomas Azwell, Ryan Carney and G-Rock an environmental consulting group, launched an experiment, fiscally sponsored by Matter of Trust, at the Presidio Park using microbial inoculants, thermophilic and vermi-composting methods. The experiment successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of a natural process to reduce the toxicity to environmentally safe levels.
Hazardous waste oil was collected by mats made from human hair clippings then blended with greenwaste. The waste was detoxified by thermophilic composting, microbial innoculants and finally ingested and processed by worms. The end result is a rich worm castings fertilizer. This 2 year project is a practical, hands on study to further the cause of efficient closed loop systems for oil spill clean up. There was a control study done at Norman Terry's Lab at UC Berkeley that paralleled this Presidio study.
Veggie Van.org - COMPLETED
2003 - 2009
Total Raised: $24,813.95
Direct Program Expenses: $23,573.25 = 95%
Natural Abundance = vegetable oil (including recycled restaurant grease)
MofT was the fiscal agent for Veggie Van.org where Josh Tickell, Founder, recycles used vegetable grease from restaurants and turns it into biodiesel. He showed us how we can reduce dependence on petroleum and has driven his biodiesel van across the United States filling up his tank with used french fry grease from McDonalds and the like. He is the author of "From The Fryer To The Fuel Tank," widely considered to be the bible for biodiesel. MofT is proud to also be the fiscal sponsor for Josh's full-length documentary "Fields of Fuel" (see our edo-educational programs). This film is based on his most recent book, "Biodiesel America". As of Apri 2009 Veggie Van has received its own public charity status.
SFE Biodiesel For MUNI Feasibility Study with CytoCulture - COMPLETED
2005-2006
Total Raised: $23,650
Direct Program Expenses: $21,723.50 = 90%
Natural Abundance = Vegetable Oil (including recycled restaurant grease) and algae
MofT is the fiscal agent for the San Francisco Environment Biodiesel for MUNI research project. The goal is to have the entire San Francisco bus fleet running on B20 (20% biodiesel 80% regular diesel) by the end of the first quarter 2007.
Biodiesel Project For Oakland, Calfornia School Busses - COMPLETED
2003 Spring Semester
MofT General Fund
Natural Abundance = Vegetable oil (including recycled restaurant french fries grease)
Oakland school busses proactively reduced their exhaust pipe emissions thanks to Michael's Transportation Services leading the trend towards using a biodiesel blend. Less pollution means healthier kids.
Biodiesel, which can be made from soybeans, sunflowers, algae and recycled restaurant fryer fat, has lower emissions than diesel exhaust. “The use of biodiesel, even at a 5% blend, eases the energy markets in the direction of sustainability," said Carol Misseldine, Sustainability Consultant to the City of Oakland.
One barrier to the widespread use of biodiesel is that it costs more than diesel. One way that barrier is being addressed is that restaurants are signing up to recycle their fryer grease for local school busses. Prices are also dependent upon buyer volume.
In order for this project to work, MofT has coordinated a Biodiesel Collaborative. Participants include City staff, biodiesel suppliers, distributors, and fleet managers who want to reduce the environmental impact of their fleets. One intention of the Collaborative is to create the volume necessary to bring the price down.
Future Collaborative participants, including the County of Marin and the City of Oakland, are considering moving in the direction of biodiesel use as well. The City of Berkeley has already had programs using 100% biodiesel for their city fleets.
Golden Gate Petroleum, All-Points Petroleum and Imperial Western Products (IWP) are Collaborative participants providing the biodiesel to Michael’s Transportation for the Oakland School Buses.
Note: This program was terminated when the Oakland School District filed for bankruptcy. Even though the District was unable to pay the final invoices for the biodiesel, Michael's Transportation Services (MTS) honored their agreement to the project and took a loss, providing cleaner fuel to the school kids for the remainder of the semester. It is a real pleasure to have worked with the team at MTS and we look forward to future projects when the school budgets are ready.
Note: Update 5 years later: July 2008, petroleum prices have skyrocketed. Biodiesel is now cheaper than regular diesel. Algae is clearly the most ecological source of biodiesel for the transition in diesel dominent trucking and deveoping countries. New alternative electric and compressed air cars are hitting the developed countries' markets.