Oil and hair are not usually the best of combos, but in the case of the oil spill crisis in the Gulf of Mexico, your hair may be part of the solution.

Hair trimmings from thousands of salons across the country are being donated to the environmental organization Matter of Trust, which since 1998 has taken clippings from hairdressers, barber shops, pet groomers and wool farmers to create oil-absorbing mats or "booms" (hair-filled pantyhose, believe it or not), that surround, contain and sponge up spills.

How apropos, then, that "Hair," the Tony Award-winning musical, is partnering with big name salon Bumble and bumble to throw a "Cut-In" on Monday from noon to 4 p.m. at the salon's uptown location (146 E. 56th St. in Manhattan). On the schedule: free haircuts (no appointments needed), raffles for tickets to the show and appearances by the cast.

Several Long Island salons are cutting and donating as well (but you'll have to pay for your haircut). At nuBest Salon & Spa in Manhasset, they're gathering up to 5 pounds of hair a day for the cause. They're also collecting at Maximus salons in Merrick and Carle Place, and at Salon Blue in Mineola, where co-owner Lisa Abbey says, "It's amazing to think that your next haircut could help save the life of an otter or a bird and stem the devastation of ecological disaster."

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Deadly crash on Sunrise Highway … Blakeman raise … What's up on LI Credit: Newsday

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