I've Never Felt This Way [...] Before

I grew up here in Louisiana.  Mardi Gras has always been one of my top 3 favorite holidays (along with Christmas and St. Patrick's Day).  But, today has been strange.  The Krewe of Highland Parade was today.  This parade takes place in my community and the parade rolls at the corner of my street, just one house away.  I have lately been thinking of the Chinese women who are probably making these beads that are thrown in the street, most of which usually get trashed.  I just no longer associate anything fun with it now (except for king cake, but only if it's from New Orleans).  I can't stop thinking about these stupid beads.  I have a crapload of them at home because it is hard for me to throw things away.  I have no problem letting go of things.  I love to take trips to Goodwill and like to recycle (although I have room for improvement).  It's not just the beads though.  This parade rolls in the neighborhood also where I walk my dog who has pancreatitis and can't eat anything except for prescription dog food.  There has been food and candy EVERYWHERE.  My dog ate some sort of meat that I had to take out of her mouth, almost got into some chocolate (which is bad for ANY dog) and to top this whole thing off...when we get back to my apartment I am sitting with her and petting her and I see that she is absorbed in licking her paw.  I look and see nothing but RED!  My adrenaline started pumping.  It looked like she had a chunk of glass in her paw and was bleeding pretty badly.  Without thinking, I pulled the glass out and threw it away.  Then I went to get some hydrogen peroxide to clean her paw.  Well, when I got back she was walking around perfectly.  I put some hydrogen peroxide in a hand towel and started to clean her paw when I realized my fingers were sticky because what I thought was a piece of bloody glass was in fact a shard (no kidding) of hard, red candy.  I was so relieved, but very angry that people just casually toss anything on the ground, in the street, no thought or consideration for anyone or any other creature.  All of this excess mess for some plastic beads cheaply made in a country where the rights of its workers are hampered and should be held suspect.  Ever since Hurricane Katrina, I have gone through a quiet (well, sometimes vocal) phase of "nationalism" for Louisiana.  I don't feel the need to elaborate other than it stems from my belief that the Federal government should have and could have done more.  I want to have any reason to be proud of Louisiana.  Mardi Gras is Louisiana's holiday.  It is good for us.  I can't imagine it though without those beads, but I can't help but continue to think that there have to be better ways to celebrate than the way we have been.  What if we recycled the beads?  Then we wouldn't have to buy as many each year and less beads would be thrown away.  It just boggles my mind that so much money and time and energy goes into something that is quickly made, quickly moved (to Louisiana) and then quickly thrown away.  I wonder what I can do for next year's Mardi Gras?