As over two dozen parades march through New Orleans in the days leading up to Mardi Gras, locals and tourists alike come to catch views of epic floats, dance to talented marching bands, and don green, gold, and purple beads while they gather in the streets. It’s one of the most iconic celebrations in the world, but it’s also one of the most wasteful, producing around 2.5 million pounds of garbage in less than two weeks.⁠ ⁠ In the days after the celebrations, you’ll find paper hanging from the trees, cups crushed along the sidewalks, and beads strewn across the pavement. “Mardi Gras has turned into an environmental disaster,” says Brett Davis, director of the Grounds Krewe, an organization trying to make the event less wasteful. Davis’ org takes a three-pronged approach to reducing waste at Mardi Gras: collecting cans and other recyclables during parades, cleaning and recycling beads to be reused at future parades, and selling eco-friendly products to throw from floats to replace the si...