BATON ROUGE, La. (KTAL/KMSS) — Louisiana’s governor wants everyone to enjoy the carnival season, but he also wants them to pick up after themselves.
“While there certainly are policy, enforcement, and budgetary solutions to some of Louisiana’s litter problem, the fact of the matter is that litter is 100 percent preventable if we take personal responsibility for our surroundings – even when we’re out celebrating with friends and family at a Mardi Gras parade,” Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a message Tuesday.
The statement is part of what his office says is part of the state’s ongoing efforts to address Louisiana’s litter problem. Visitors note it, ex-pats complain about it on return trips and the Lt. Governor has said publicly that he is “disgusted” by the amount of litter he sees as he travels the state.
Edwards encouraged Louisianans to take responsibility for their own garbage when they’re attending Mardi Gras parades and celebrations this year.
“There are simple steps all of us can take to reduce litter as we head to the parades, most notably, just bringing a trash bag to take all of your garbage home with you and not leaving wrappers, cups, and cans on the parade route. Discarded trash can easily end up in our drainage system and cause storm water management and flooding issues down the line. We all want to let loose this Mardi Gras, but let’s make sure we keep our trash contained.”
In January, Gov. Edwards launched a Statewide Litter Abatement and Beautification Task Force, which is tasked with finding policy solutions for Louisiana’s litter problem, educating the public, and promoting community litter abatement activities. The task force held its first meeting last week and will make a report by July 2022.
The Governor also designated the fourth Saturday of every month as Keep Louisiana Beautiful’s Love the Boot. Don’t Pollute Day, to encourage leaders and individuals to address litter issues in their communities. For the month of February, the Governor wants people to focus on reducing litter at Mardi Gras parades.
Click here to watch a video from Gov. Edwards about avoiding litter after Mardi Gras celebrations.
