Less is More

Between the Saints winning the Super bowl and today being Fat Tuesday, Louisiana’s excitement has been taken to a whole new level. Despite the threat of rain and chilly temperatures, Mardi Gras events are going on as planned. Millions of people stand shoulder to shoulder in the streets of New Orleans to take part in the festive parades and to watch in awe the extravagant floats that fill the streets.  This year, artist Catherine Pears impresses many by taking Mardi Gras to a whole new level by turning it green.

Recycling is something the eco artist Pears surely takes seriously. Not only does she see the benefits of recycling but to her, the most obvious ways of recycling is to reduce and reuse, which is exactly what she did to create this year’s Mardi Gras float. The float features three women-the 3 graces- made from scratch out of cloth, wire, fiberglass and other random objects. The eyelashes on the women are made from old worn out paint brushes, the cloth that was used was left over from previous projects, and the wire came straight from a metal scrap yard. She’s not even ashamed to admit that she will pick up things from the side of the road if she thinks it will be useful, like dead tennis balls and pieces of  styrofoam. She even used old latex paint, creating a float that is as environmentally sound as possible. We appreciate Catherine Pears and give her major kudos for her ability to conserve resources and turn Mardi Gras green.

Now, who said it ain’t easy being green?