New Orleans' efforts to reduce Mardi Gras waste and reuse beads and throws have been ongoing for decades and involve a complicated web of community groups, leaders and businesses. Carnival lasts just a few months each year, but collecting, sorting and reselling beads is a year-round endeavor.

Be on the lookout this Mardi Gras for a little extra star power in New Orleans as Shaquille O'Neal, "True Blood" star Rutina Wesley and others reign as celebrity monarchs in parades. Why it matters: Some will throw custom doubloons and swag.

How did Mardi Gras, a religious holiday, become a time to cut loose and party hard? It originated from French tradition and began as an annual carnival celebration in Louisiana in the 1700s. Today, it has become a month-long event in New Orleans with parades through the French Quarter,