Harsh chemicals pollute the air, toxic liquids go down the drain. No this isn’t some mad scientific experiment gone wrong, it’s what many women take part in every time they get a perm! Lovely locks of hair being ruined by such harsh chemicals, not to mention the air pollution it makes. The days of bobby pins and rag curls are gone… or are they?

A terrific fundraiser that lets folks throw those harsh chemicals away for at least one day is hosting a ‘Green Hair Day’. While the bouncy curls may not last nearly as long, the absence of pollutants will have a definite effect on the environment! Gather up old clean sheets and rip them into 2 x 4 strips for rag curls. Buy bobby pins in various sizes for pin curls. Pick up some shampoo and conditioner if you plan to offer washing as well.

A trial run is in order, so plan a ladies’ night and take turns setting each others hair. The smaller bobby pins make small tight curls and the larger bobby pins make bigger and looser curls, so each woman will have a choice of the type of curl they get. If for some reason they don’t want to use the bobby pins, then you have the strips of material for the rag curls. Rag curls are just as pretty and the curl will last as long as using bobby pins.

Bobby pin curls involve simply winding small lengths of hair around a finger, and pinning the little coils flat with a bobby pin. Rag curls are made by winding the end of a strand around the middle of a rag strip, then rolling it up the same as a curler, tying the ends together to hold the curl.

Advertise your ‘Green Hair Day’. Set the price for the event at a reasonable rate. Since the only cost to you will be the cost of bobby pins and possible rental space for the building you’ll be hosting the event at, a price of $15.00 per hairdo should be sufficient. This is well below the cost of a regular perm. Be sure you stress the value of experiencing a Green Hairdo!

If any of your friends own a beauty shop host the event there. If not, some beauty shop might be willing to donate a day of usage for your fundraiser. If you can manage to snag a barber to do $10 haircuts for the men and boys and split the profits with you, that will keep the guys busy while the girls primp! Plus you can rope them into service as hairdryer holders if you weren’t lucky enough to find a location with old fashioned helmet dryers.

Now that all the plans are laid out, be sure you have a hostess who will see that everyone there has refreshments. Keep drinks and snacks on hand for those waiting to have their hair done. A few volunteers to do nails for an extra $5 will help boost the profits. Encourage tipping -  those tips can also go towards whatever cause your raising the money for.

Play some music, have magazines on hand, and just enjoy the chatter of women having their hair done. If you are able to beforehand, put together some information on green products women can use for their hair care. Give them the information when they pay. You’ll be doing your part of promoting the ‘Going Green’ movement.