• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, March 10, 2022

If you’re thinking about trimming the hair that, uh, rarely sees the light of day (at least before WFH became a big thing) think twice about throwing it away. 

Beauty and skincare company eos (Evolution of Smooth) is teaming with renewable resource non-profit Matter of Trust (MOT) on a campaign that asks people to donate their pubic hairs—at least the ones they want to part with--to help save the planet. 

Creative work for the campaign, dubbed “Pubes For The Planet” was done in partnership with Mischief @ No Fixed Address.

Exactly how does that work, you might be asking yourself? MOT has devised a method to use your unwanted thatch to help curb soil erosion. 

The beauty company is sending out collection pouches and pre-labeled return envelopes to those who want to transform their shaved and snipped shorthairs into curly eco-warriors. The agency created a video about the project. 

Bianca Guimaraes, partner and executive creative director at Mischief, said: “Who knew we’ve been hiding a sustainable solution right in our pants this whole time? Incredible. And eos is making it so easy to put that thatch to good use that not taking part in Pubes for the Planet is basically a big middle finger to Mother Nature. Think about that next time you maintain your lower locks.”

The companies say that human hair is naturally hydrophobic, durable and biodegradable, thus making it a good resource for replanting and protecting seedlings. Hair is turned into mats which are felted loosely enough so that rain passes through into the soil, and only 50% of rainfall is lost to evaporation.  

Hair also provides a slow nitrogen release into the soil. Nitrogen helps make up chlorophyll which gives plants their green color and, ultimately, creates food through photosynthesis. But you probably knew all that, right? 

This is true of all human hair although the campaign is focused on the hair down there because, well, who doesn’t like a catchy campaign about the eco-friendly good that stems from shedding your genital mane? 

MOT works with partners around the world to help make hair a chief resource in a variety of environmental missions, including oil spill clean-ups.  

All campaign donations will be shipped to (what has to be) the world’s first Pube Park at MOT Eco Home in San Francisco. 

As a thank you eos is sending contributors a free mini tube of shave cream and matching each donation of netherhair with a monetary donation to help MOT continue its efforts, up to $15,000.

To participate, visit www.pubesfortheplanet.com and order your kit. In addition to the YouTube video, the campaign includes social content to drive awareness and people to the site including this work on TikTok.