With all of the excitement and celebration of Mardi Gras came something unexpected. I don’t think many of us outside of Louisiana give it much thought, so it was actually kind of shocking. What is it I’m talking about?
The amount of trash generated from a single parade. Kristen and I found ourselves walking the street, picking up trinkets here and there like crows collecting shinies for their nests. That is, until we came upon on the clean-up crew.
The first group had leaf blowers, blowing trash off of the sidewalks. I actually hid around a corner to prevent being blasted with dirt. The second group had water cannons, perhaps making Mardi Gras plastic waste heavier and more manageable? And the final group came armed with rakes and tractors.
The juxtaposition was almost jarring. A police officer actually stopped us and told us we shouldn’t walk along the street, lest we get blasted by water!
With my hands full of trinkets and beads, I asked Kristen to take a few pictures for me. I don’t know if all of these people were part of the city clean up crew and just didn’t have marked vests, or if they were just neighbors wanting to lend a hand, but nonetheless, it felt nice to see a united front helping clean up the mess. It was something I hadn’t really witnessed before. Or maybe I had and the visual just wasn’t as striking.
Regardless, it was a learning moment I won’t forget. If you’re interested in just how much Mardi Gras plastic waste is created and how folks are trying to mitigate it (while keeping the spirit of Mardi Gras alive) check out this article from PBS.
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