Young Leadership Council and Arc of Greater New Orleans Announce Return of Mardi Gras Recycling Initiative

NEW ORLEANS – Young Leadership Council (YLC) and Arc of Greater New Orleans (ArcGNO) have announced the 2019 return of their Mardi Gras Recycling Initiative. The endeavor is a collaboration between Young Leadership Council’s YLC Recycles project and ArcGNO.

In 2018, The Mardi Gras Recycling Initiative provided recycling services during the Krewe of Freret parade on Saturday, Feb. 3.

Recycling at the Krewe of Thoth parade was also scheduled, but had to be canceled due to inclement weather. Special bags were distributed by volunteers before and during each parade to collect Mardi Gras throws, in addition to plastic and aluminum waste. Six recycling stations were set up along the parade routes on Napoleon Ave. and St. Charles Ave. to accept recyclables from the public. From only a single day of parades, the last year’s Mardi Gras Recycling Initiative kept 2,500 pounds of beads, 10,000 cans, and 3,000 plastic bottles out of Louisiana landfills.

"All of us at YLC can’t wait for another exciting year of recycling at Mardi Gras with Arc of Greater New Orleans, with the goal of expanding our footprint to more parades last year’s pilot initiative,” said Joseph Colon, a volunteer project leader with YLC Recycles. “The enthusiasm of our volunteers this past Mardi Gras and the receptiveness of parade-goers in participating in recycling inspires us to keep moving forward as we seek to make Carnival season environmentally sustainable for generations to come."

The 2019 initiative is still in the planning phase, and specific parades and route information will be announced by YLC and ArcGNO in the weeks and months ahead.

“We had a great inaugural year collaborating with YLC Recycles and other partners,” said Dr. Stephen Sauer, executive director of Arc of Greater New Orleans. “Working together we can continue taking greater steps towards 'greening' Mardi Gras. Additionally, for ArcGNO, the more recycled beads and throws we collect the more jobs we can provide to those with disabilities. That's why we're so excited about this program and wish to thank YLC Recycles for including us.”

Members of the public should visit www.ylcnola.org/mardigras to learn about volunteer opportunities, route information, and more as new information becomes available.