Biodegradable Beads Are Helping Mardi Gras Go Green

Vibrant green, purple, and gold strings of beads are a staple of New Orlean’s Carnival, the weekslong festive season which culminates on Tuesday, Feb. 17, with Mardi Gras. But the plastic jewelry that is thrown off parade floats takes an environmental toll. Around 25 million pounds of used Mardi Gras beads are thrown away every year. Several years ago, in 2018, 46 tons of them clogged New Orleans’ storm drains after heavy flooding. 

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This year, a team...