New Orleans has grown to regret something about Mardi Gras — and it has nothing to do with Bourbon Street.
The holiday is synonymous with its purple, green, and gold beads, millions upon millions of which are thrown into crowds as dozens of parades go by daily, leading up to Fat Tuesday. They were once considered a lucky catch and a sign of good fortune, but now, with the number of plastic beaded necklaces tossed out by the handful, some spectators are ducking out of the way to avoid getting hit by them.
But this year, three groups took the initiative to try out an entirely new necklace: 3D-printed, biodegradable beads from Louisiana State University.
Mardi Gras contributes to 1,000 tons of garbage every year
The week-long Carnival celebration is estimated to produce more than 1,000 tons of garbage every year in New Orleans. In 2018 alone, cleaning crews reported having sucked out more than 46 tons of Mardi Gras beads from catch basins across five blocks, after heavy flooding impacted the city…