The Young Leadership Council partnered with ArcGNO this carnival season to collect beads and recyclables on the parade routes through uptown New Orleans. After a Nola.com story revealed that the city removed more than 64 tons of beads from a five block stretch of St. Charles, YLC Recycles Project Leader Hannah Kincannon says it’s a public safety issue.
YLC works to make New Orleans events greener and more sustainable. Kincannon says they worked with ArcGNO to find a home for the tons beads collected.
ArcGNO workers will clean and sort the beads, which will be sold back to parade krewes next Mardi Gras season.
Kincannon says About 200 people worked the ground, passing out recycling and collection bags over the programs two weekends. She says they’d to see more volunteers out helping next year.
Kincannon says two and a half tons of Mardi Gras beads were collected on the first day alone.