Plastic waste is one of the most pressing environmental issues for our planet's oceans today. Amazon is taking a major step toward resolving that, reported Sustainability Magazine.
The Ocean Cleanup is a nonprofit that has removed "tens of millions of kilograms [of trash] to date." It has entered into a partnership with Amazon, one of the most powerful companies in the world, to rid oceans of their debris because the nonprofit believes that "plastic pollution is a global crisis requiring urgent action."
Its two-fold plan works by reducing the amount of debris that flows out from rivers by intercepting it before it reaches the ocean and also removing accumulations of plastic in the ocean that won't degrade on their own.
The Ocean Cleanup is accelerating this plan with its partnership, stating: "We are joining forces with Amazon Web Services to accelerate ocean plastic removal using AI," per Sustainability Magazine. It added, "AWS will provide a range of technologies from IoT, satellite, and edge computing to deploying drones and flotation devices to precisely track plastic accumulation. This will help create a 'plastic navigation' system that predicts debris movement and optimizes cleanup operations."
AI can help automate tracking and detection of marine life, which reduces the need for around-the-clock staffing. It can also identify hotspots of plastic congregation and help prioritize areas for cleanup.
"Plastic has been found in more than 60% of all seabirds and in 100% of sea turtles species that mistake plastic for food," said Ocean Conservancy. "And when animals ingest plastic, it can cause life-threatening problems, including reduced fitness, nutrient uptake, and feeding efficiency — all vital for survival."
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Plastic waste is also an unsightly issue for our beaches, affecting wildlife and causing major problems for tourism economies. A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration study found that in areas where marine debris was present on beaches, the local tourism economy was adversely affected — this impacted the overall community's revenue from the tourist season and contributed to significant job loss.
While Amazon has taken other positive steps toward reducing its pollution output, like eliminating plastic packaging pillows and upgrading many of its delivery vans to electric vehicles, the company still creates a staggering amount of pollution.
The use of AI to help the environment is certainly productive; however, powering AI is also contributing to rising global temperatures since data centers require a massive amount of energy.
There's a lot of room for improvement, but it's hopeful to see AI used for an eco-friendly cause instead of generating pollution from superfluous usage.
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"Plastic pollution represents one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, and The Ocean Cleanup's mission is vital for the health of our planet," Amazon Chief Technology Officer Dr. Werner Vogels told Sustainability Magazine. "This collaboration demonstrates how advanced cloud computing and AI can serve as powerful tools for environmental stewardship."
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