#803 Brett Davis on Waste Prevention: Transforming Mardi Gras for a Sustainable Future

In this episode of The Impact Report, Bard MBA in Sustainability candidate Tricia Travis interviews Brett Davis, founding partner of the nonprofit Grounds Crew. They discuss the environmental challenges of New Orleans' Mardi Gras celebration, including the 2.6 million pounds of litter generated annually. Davis explains Grounds Crew's initiatives to make the festivities more sustainable, such as the Sustainable Throw Catalog and recycling programs. The conversation explores the economic and cultural complexities of changing Mardi Gras traditions, community engagement strategies, and signs of progress like one parade krewe banning plastic beads for 2025. Travis, who recently joined Grounds Crew, shares her perspective on the organization's educational outreach and the positive response from youth. Host Renay Loper joins for a follow-up discussion, delving deeper into the cultural significance of Mardi Gras and the hopeful signs for a more sustainable future in New Orleans.