My girlfriend, Brooke Burns, is enrolled in the Public Relations post graduate program at Humber Institute of Technology. For her writing lab, she composed a human interest feature article on a friend of ours, Dan Thomson. The piece focused on Dan’s environmental exploits, particularly his decision to cut his dreadlocks off for charity.

Brooke has kindly agreed to share her wonderful article on this website. Enjoy!

Sitting in his living room watching Daily Planet, Dan Thomson runs his hands through his newly cropped hair. He remembers his full head of red dreadlocks that now sit in a shoebox in his closet. They were recently cut off to raise money for Forest Ethics in a campaign dubbed Operation Dreads for Trees.

“My hair was part of my personality. It made me fit into an alternative culture,” said Thomson. To cut off his dreadlocks in dramatic fashion, he decided to fundraise for Forest Ethics. “Since I was parting with a piece of my identity, I wanted to make sure it was meaningful to me and to others.”

Thomson figured out how to turn his haircut into a fundraiser. In a flash of brilliance, he decided to sell each dreadlock for $10. “The idea just came to me out of the blue,” said Thomson. The concept was simple: 60 dreads, 60 donations. Once every dreadlock was claimed, off they came. “Talk about taking a load off.”

With a $600 goal, Thomson campaigned through telephone calls, word of mouth and a friend’s website. “The response was incredible! Friends and family snapped up my hair within a week. Even my friend’s dog Norman bought a dreadlock,” said Thomson. “People pledged even after all the dreadlocks were sold.” Some spent up to $50 to buy a piece of Thomson’s hair. He doubled his goal, donating $1,226.08 to Forest Ethics.

Thomson’s dreadlocks were cut off one week after donations were collected. “My head feels great! It was an instant weight off my shoulders,” said Thomson. He grew his dreadlocks five years ago as a lifestyle change and a political statement. “I began to miss the feel of my scalp. The dreadlocks became uncontrollable and I realized that getting a salon shampoo would be a wonderful feeling. I will miss them dearly though, since they were very much part of my personality.”

Thomson donated the money raised in Operation Dreads for Trees to Forest Ethics, a non-profit environmental organization that protects endangered forests. He has worked with them for three years and respects their efforts. “I’ve volunteered and participated in several caribou actions as well as the ‘Victoria’s Dirty Secret’ campaign. People who work for Forest Ethics are some of the most dedicated and tireless environmentalists in North America,” said Thomson.

His relationship with Forest Ethics began while he was working in geographic information systems at Sierra Legal Defence Fund, a non-profit organization committed to strengthening environmental issues and promoting sound science. Unfortunately, funding for Thomson’s position ran out. “I miss my job, but hopefully I’ll get hired at Parks Canada in the summer.” Currently, Thomson works in geographic information systems for Netmedia.

Thomson has always been interested in the environment. “My parents introduced me to environmental issues. They took me to Earth Day activities every year and we planted trees,” said Thomson. He pursued this interest at the University of Toronto, graduating in 2002 with a double major in physical and environmental geography and geographical information systems.

“In university, I was exposed to a world of new ideas like deep ecology, current events and alternative media,” said Thomson. After graduating, he travelled through the Americas attending music and art festivals and doing activist and protest work.

Thomson has participated in many environmental campaigns over the past six years. “I have been employed in the environment at all levels of government and have volunteered for the Green Party,” said Thomson. “I have also campaigned for many different organizations. It may have been me wearing the caribou costume in Queen’s Park recently!” When not working or campaigning, Thomson enjoys taking in environmental films, festivals and workshops.

The environmental life is challenging and hectic for Thomson. However, through campaigns like Operation Dreads for Trees he finds happiness and value in his life. “Basically, I don’t sleep much anymore since there is always something to do. I wish I could quit my job and become a full time environmentalist. Who needs work anyway?”

Quite the article, Brooke!

Here’s a before and after shot of Dan:

BEFORE

AFTER

He looked so happy with those Dreads!