Lafayette launches 'Clean-Up Krewe' to get Mardi Gras litter off the streets

Parades and catching beads are some of the best parts of Mardi Gras, but the trash and extra beads that get left behind isn't as fun. Luckily, the "Clean-Up Krewe" initiative is here to make disposing your trash even easier.

LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – Parades and catching beads are some of the best parts of Mardi Gras, but the trash and extra beads that get left behind isn't as fun. Luckily, the "Clean-Up Krewe" initiative is here to make disposing your trash even easier.

"We know that people like to have a lot of fun during Mardi Gras, but unfortunately, that also means that there's a lot of litter and trash that goes along with that. And this is just a program for beautiful wanted to do to start getting people to think about that a little bit," says LCG Environmental Quality Manager Bess Foret.

Foret says litter and beads being left on the street has become a major issue each year following Mardi Gras parades, so this year Keep Lafayette Beautiful is launching the Clean-Up Krewe to make disposing your beads and trash easier and more accessible than ever before.

There will be 11, bright green locations along the parade route. "We urge people to put those beads in there before they leave. We also have garbage bags that we've distributed to the crews and keep that on their float until the end so they can get that into a dumpster," says Foret.

Although Lafayette crews are ready to hit the streets following the parades, Foret says crews have often stayed on the roads until 3 a.m. trying to clean.

With the Clean-Up Krewe initiative officially underway, as well as over 700 trash cans being placed along the parade route, Foret reminds all of Lafayette to simply pick up the things you brought to the parade. It keeps the roadways clear and helps everyone get home on time.

"All the time and energy that's put into picking up all the waste that's out there, you know, it doesn't have to be that much time and energy if everybody just did a little bit more of their part or put it in one of those garbage cans, don't leave it."

Latest Stories