An iconic Mardi Gras tradition has received a sustainable makeover.
Brightly-colored plastic beads are a familiar sight at New Orleans' Mardi Gras celebrations. But, NPR has reported, some parade organizers have banned the tossing of plastic beads to reduce waste.
An estimated 25 million pounds of plastic beads are thrown annually, according to a 2021 report published in the LSU Journal of Energy Law and Resources, with less than 2% recycled.
The rest regularly wind up in landfills or in streets, where they're washed into nearby waterways. In 2018, New Orleans removed over 93,000 pounds of plastic beads clogging its storm drains.
Beads can also contain toxic chemicals like lead and flame retardants, raising additional health and environmental concerns.
Organizers of the Krewe of Freret used 250,000 strands of plastic beads last year. This year it will be zero.
Bobby Hjortsberg, a parade captain, told NPR he noticed how the cheap plastic beads worn by his one-year-old daughter left stains on her skin and clothes.
"I just, like, remember thinking to myself, like, what are we doing? Like, this is obviously not a good thing," said Hjortsberg.
Each year, around 45 million pounds of plastics are imported for Mardi Gras, over half of which are beads. These products are produced mostly to be thrown into crowds — then they're thrown away.
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Definitely 👍 Parade litter is an expensive problem. New Orleans spent $1.5 million cleaning up after Mardi Gras in 2019.
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This annual influx of single-use plastic damages the environment, hurts wildlife, and pollutes our water with dangerous microplastics.
Using less plastic or alternatives such as mess-free confetti can reduce the waste left in the wake of our celebrations.
Mardi Gras organizers are switching to glass beads or handing out useful items, like packs of jambalaya ingredients, per NPR.
Response to the ban was largely positive, with many online applauding the change or proposing biodegradable beads as an alternative.
"I really like this," wrote one Redditor. "I might personally just decrease how many regular beads I buy and instead invest more in the 'special' throws. People like those more anyways."
Others noted the complexity of eliminating an iconic symbol and the additional expense.
"The reality is, beads are 'iconic' for tourists and I don't think we can get rid of them totally," wrote one commenter, "but minimizing would be a great strategy."
"I definitely love the eco-friendly movement, but I do agree it will make things more financially burdensome for the riders," another said.
"The overall move away from cheap plastic beads to cheap usable items (i.e. socks) or handmade throws is the right direction," commented another.
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