Throwing and catching gold, green, and purple beads is a cherished Mardi Gras tradition, but as it turns out, these petroleum ...

Specifically, purple, gold, green, and silver beads ... started throwing glass Czech beads, which led to the plastic bead necklaces we know and love today. Shortly after the bead necklaces ...

Friends Bonnie Hill (right) and Fran Kruger (left) pose for a photo after catching glass beads at the Krewe of Freret parade on Feb. 22, 2025. Notably, not plastic beads. Freret banned plastic ...

Mardi Gras can make a lot of trash, adding up to millions of pounds each year. Now, some parades in New Orleans are cutting down on their environmental footprint by banning plastic beads.