Keep Mardi Gras Litter-Free

Post-Parade Clean Up

After the last firetruck of each parade rolls through, please immediately clear the area and do not cross the barricades - the street cleaners are on the way. Following the end of each parade is a team of people clearing the streets of trash, picking up recycling, and driving street sweepers, to get the City back to beautiful. Following them, is a team breaking down and moving the barricades out of the way.

 

Litter

Carnival Season brings thousands of revelers downtown to enjoy parades, balls, and other festivities. It also brings thousands of pounds of trash, most of which ends up on our streets and sidewalks, and far too much of which enters the storm drains and eventually our waterways. 

A few years ago, several organizations, including Alabama Coastal Foundation, Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, Downtown Mobile Alliance, Keep Mobile Beautiful, and the City of Mobile, came together to create the Cleaner, Greener LoDa initiative to combat litter and reduce the use of plastic in our city center. One ongoing focus has been reducing litter generated during Mardi Gras parades.

City of Mobile cleaning crews will be out in full force every Carnival Season, but Mobilians, visitors and local businesses can still help by taking some of the following steps:  

• Dispose of garbage in the designated purple garbage carts throughout downtown 
• Deposit aluminum, paper, plastic, and beads in the recycling bins in Bienville Square and Cathedral Square
• Place a trash can or recycle bin in front of your downtown business 

• “Say No to the Glow.” This is a new effort to eliminate the plastic glow sticks regularly thrown from Carnival floats. These plastic sticks can clog the street sweepers and create environmental issues 

 

Litter from Riders

If you’re riding in a parade, remember that your boxes and bags should be emptied and unloaded properly at the beginning of the parade or stay on the float until you arrive at the end. Help make our Mardi Gras Litter-Free – throw beads, not trash!