When you think Mardi Gras, what immediately comes to mind? For many, “beads” would probably be the answer. If you’ve ever been to a Mardi Gras celebration, or have seen photos from one, you surely noticed all of the plastic bead necklaces floating about, available in an assortment of rainbow colors. But have you ever thought about what happens to all of those beads when the party ends?
![mardigras]()
New Orleans is known for its Mardi Gras celebration. In 2018, sanitation workers pulled more than 93,000 pounds of Mardi Gras beads from clogged storm drains in the city, along a five-block stretch. The tradition of throwing beads onto parade floats began in 1871, but today, it’s a glaring problem. The Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans produces about 1.2 million pounds of garbage in less than two weeks. From plastic beads to plastic cups, hats and more, an alarming amount of party gear ends up in storm drains or in Louisiana’s Lake Pontchartrain.
Two nonprofit organizations, the Arc of Greater New Orleans and Grounds Krewe, worked together this year to package and sell more than 7,000 small jute bags filled with local foods like red beans and coffee beans as a sustainable alternative for party-goers to throw and celebrate with. The idea was that those celebrating could purchase the bags and toss something more ecological, while representing and supporting local businesses. The groups also set out custom recycling bins for beads, bottles and cans throughout the neighborhood where the parade occurs.
Other Mardi Gras organizations are hopping on the bandwagon by using more sustainable materials to create parade floats, and replacing plastic cups with lightweight stainless steel ones. Several artists in the area have all begun to collect leftover beads and materials to use as a medium for their artwork.
Plastic is everywhere. Bottled water, grocery bags, shower curtains, garbage can liners and kitchen utensils are just a few of the ways plastic has made its way into every aspect of our daily lives. Our throwaway mentality, bred and fed by the mass production of plastics, has created a pollution problem that now threatens the very future of humanity. The world now produces 299 million tons of plastics a year, most of which ends up in the oceans. To learn more about plastic pollution and what you can do to help, click here.