Where Innovation Meets the Plastic Sea by “Sangjoon Lee”

We carelessly throw plastic bottles into recycling bins, hoping they will be recycled, and convince ourselves that we have helped save the planet. However, 91 percent of our plastic waste is not even recycled, and astronomical amounts of it flow into our oceans, causing drastic harm to both the ecosystem and our health. Ninety percent of seabirds have plastics inside their stomach, and over 100 million animals die each year due to plastic. Moreover,

the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is three times the size of France, containing wastes from different parts of the world. The ocean is suffering due to the tremendous amount of plastic waste humans throw away. However, the development of technology could not only mitigate the harms but also contribute to the monitoring of future pollution.

Technology is a powerful tool in solving the the problem that is present. Robots are able to reach places that humans cannot easily access, are powered by renewable energy, and can track plastic waste before it enters the ocean. Currently, robots that are exclusively designed for ocean clean-up are already quite successful. Robots like Clearbots are already in numerous waters and are collecting trash. They work on the surface of the oceans,

collecting waste that is floating. After the robot intakes the waste on the ocean, the robot stores the waste during the cleanup and the waste is recycled after the robot returns to land. Seaclear is another prominent project that is targeted to sanitize the oceans. Focusing on waste that is at the sea beds, two robots that depart from a boat. One uses AI, focusing on identifying and tracking the waste while the other part is responsible for collecting the

trash. These examples show that AI and technology play a significant role in alleviating the environmental stress our oceans are experiencing.

Despite numerous benefits, the current oceanic cleanup technology portrays clear limitations: microplastics, limited coverage, and maintenance. Microplastics are under five millimeters in size, making it challenging to filter out or even identify with technology. Therefore, even with advanced AI and distinction technologies microplastics will be an objection that will be formidable. Not only that, since the ocean covers over 70 percent

of the earth, it is extremely difficult to manage and clean up all the waste with solely robots. Robots simply can not manage the vast oceans alone. Robots are vulnerable to numerous components of the oceanic environment.

For example, sea water itself could corrode the robot’s metallic surface, making the robot unable to function.

Also, biofouling, which is a phenomenon where small aquatic organisms like algae or barnacles stick onto man-made structures, are a problem. Finally, maintenance is a major obstacle that needs to be overcome. Interceptor, which is a project carried out by the Ocean Blue Project that filters plastic waste before it ends up in the ocean, costs $650,000 every year. This is truly burdensome for many organizations, resulting in a decrease of

participation in preserving the oceans. The limitations do show that there is room for improvement, but these limitations do not outweigh the potential.

As a result, continued technological development will be crucial in the future. By the help of technology, small problems will be able to be ameliorated, resulting in the whole crisis being able be alleviated. A truly sustainable society is where humans and the earth can coexist. In order for this to be feasible, it is essential to create a balance between the economy and environment. People will be aware about the urgency of the problem, trying to change. A clear system will be established, resulting in an assistance from AI will be able to monitor the

waste, and robots will collect the waste identified. The crisis will be solved step by step, ultimately contributing to the ocean being blue again.

No solution will be perfect, and new challenges will keep on emerging. Thus, our jobs as members, not owners of the planet, is to solve the pollution that is already existing and minimize any in the future. We have to find a way to coexist with the planet. Since we all have the duty to make the earth a better place, we will have to continuously try and find new resolutions. The end of the tunnel is not completely dark. Instead, it is full of potential, having numerous outcomes depending on how we act. Change is always possible, it is all about the

ideal kind of earth we want to construct.