Mardi Gras is one of the South’s most anticipated traditions. With its costumes, beads, parades and balls, the Mississippi Gulf Coast comes alive with festivities. Unfortunately, these beloved celebrations leave behind large amounts of trash that takes days to pick up. Debris that is left in streets and on sidewalks can be blown or washed into storm drains, causing blockages that can increase flooding, or into the local environment creating a hazard to wildlife. City and cleanup crews take to the streets in efforts to pick up what is left after the festivities, but the amount of single-use plastics and debris left by parade-goers can be daunting.
In efforts to spread awareness and promote a low-waste celebration, the Mississippi Coastal Cleanup Program and Plastic Free Gulf Coast partnered up to have the first ever “Cleanup Krewe” float in the Gulf Coast Carnival Coast Association Mardi Gras Parade in Biloxi, Mississippi, on Feb. 25, (i.e., Fat Tuesday). The goal of the Cleanup Krewe float was to promote the incorporation of mindful, low-waste partying into one of our most anticipated traditions and start a conversation about how our actions have an effect on the environment around us.
This unique float acted as a debris collection vessel, decorated completely out of trash items, and was the last float in the parade. The construction, design and execution was completely carried out through the efforts of volunteers!
As the parade commenced, volunteers walked with the float and picked up trash as they went. Volunteers used a wide array of tools to aid in trash collection such as rakes, grabbers, buckets and carts. In addition to picking up within the parade route barriers, the Cleanup Krewe interacted with parade attendees requesting that the trash at their feet be put into buckets carried by the Cleanup Krewe. All the collected trash was tossed onto the float, bagged and later separated and counted resulting in a total of 5,406 pounds of beads collected: that’s nearing 3 tons of trash picked up overall!
The data collected on the amount of beads and plastic debris has been logged and will be used to educate the community on single-use plastics, and to start a conversation focused on prevention and sustainable alternatives. All beads collected were donated and recycled for future Mardi Gras events.
The 40 Cleanup Krewe volunteers consisted of caring community members and various organizations, such as the Audubon Mississippi Coastal Bird Stewardship Program, Mississippi Aquarium, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Jefferson Davis Campus’ Science Club, the Mississippi Institute of Dolphin Science, Mississippi Master Naturalists, Mississippin’ Challenge, Coastal Conservation and Restoration Program, City of Biloxi, Biloxi Library and Coastal Mississippi. The Cleanup Krewe’s goal to promote a fun Mardi Gras with a low-waste twist was a complete success.
To minimize the amount of waste produced, new sustainable practices are something we are starting to see at Mardi Gras events and should increase for future events. Some parade floats have traded in their plastic beads and throws for more viable options such as rice, beans, coffee and even bead necklaces made of seeds.
We hope to keep spreading awareness that Mardi Gras can be crazy FUN & crazy CLEAN. See you next year, Mardi Gras!