Trinidad's Carnival Undergoing a Major Sustainable Shift

• Carnival clothes are reused through thrift shops; otherwise, they end up in landfills.
• Carnivals and colourful parties are the best events to convey the concept of sustainability, as they attract large crowds, particularly young revellers.

The carnival in Trinidad is redefining sustainability benchmarks by undergoing major transitions in how it takes place this year.

Many groups have come forward to raise the bar in sustainability by urging the reduction of waste and the reuse of materials. One such group is Carnicycle, founded by Danii McLetchie and Luke Harris seven years ago, which focuses on recycling carnival costumes.

The lively and stunning celebration, a significant part of the country's culture, has a huge environmental impact that many people are not aware of. Every year, the carnival produces around 3.4 tonnes of waste when costumes made of feathers, beads, and synthetic fabrics are discarded or set on fire after the event.

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This is where companies like Carnicycle come into the picture. They collect unused and discarded costumes from hotels, masquerade bands, and other venues, then meticulously cut out feathers and beads from the recovered materials and sell them to designers or performers. Also, large, pricey backpack costume pieces are rented out so that participants can wear them and take photos, and no need to carry them all day.

2nd Closet, another initiative founded by lawyer-designer duo Aliyah Clarke and Kaleen Sanois, runs a pop-up thrift shop where revellers and people can buy and sell second-hand clothes. They have also created video tutorials for people to understand the idea of transforming old carnival costumes into beachwear or casual outfits. Their closet-sorting service helps people sort out unwanted clothes that can be resold.

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Events worldwide are undergoing a major sustainable transition. For instance, Fete with the Saints, a famous carnival party, is using biodegradable cutlery, and reusable cups, and hiring bin detectives to help guests sort their waste. This thoughtful approach has prevented over one million single-use plastics from going to landfill in the past year or two.

These vibrant parties and events are some of the best platforms to educate people about sustainable ways of living, as many flock to attend them to enjoy themselves. When people become more aware of their environmental impact and act on an individual level, it can bring positive, collective change in protecting our planet.

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Source: BBC