6 Ways Data Science and AI is driving innovation to help the environment

Data science is preparing data for analysis. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the implementation of a predictive model to forecast future events and helps computers or machines or robots controlled by computers to work as an alternative to humans.

With Data Science and AI becoming a transformative phenomenon for businesses and consumers, it's vital on how it impacts the environment and embraces the challenges confronted in an increasingly populated, polluted and competitive world. The global AI and data science market is estimated to value more than $309 billion and $230 billion respectively. The technological advancements and initiatives in this field could have a significant impact on the environment.

Connected and Self-operated electric vehicles

Electric vehicles are good for the environment. They generate lesser greenhouse gases and cause less pollution. It is true even if we account for the electricity required to use them. Unmanned or automated driving, studying driver behaviour patterns, GPS navigation systems are some advancements where AI is playing a key role in the EV Industry. The implementation of AI in improving EVs, facilitating EV charging stations, and EV integration with the smart grid will encourage people to adopt electric vehicles and open a new pathway of eco-driving thus helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Reducing food waste

As per research, in India more than 50 kg of food is wasted per person in a year, calculating to about 68,760,163 tonnes and is ranked at 94th position out of 107 countries. Infact every country generates food waste at the consumer level irrespective of their income levels.

Given the pressure on already severely depleted soils to provide food for an ever-growing global population and the fact that roughly a third of food is never eaten, innovative AI technology can be used for overcoming this issue.  The retailers can use AI to check and dispose of food items before they turn bad. Data analysis helps to calculate and predict the volume of food consumption in restaurants and households for them to reduce food waste eventually. Besides, AI could significantly improve packaging, increase shelf life of food items, and avoid food wastage by making a more transparent supply chain management system.

Advanced methods of recycling

The recycling system of waste needs to be transformed urgently, as most of the waste generated over the year is mostly of single use products. As per research in 2019, 660,787.85 tonnes of plastic waste was generated in India, out of which only 60% was recycled. One particular difficulty with recycling is the issue of segregation of waste. Use of robots that have sensors to separate different types of waste will help in a quicker and easier way of recycling as each product varies in its texture, shape and size. AI can also be used for creating an automated waste disposal system. Another way is by using an image recognition technique which helps to collect information on waste and find its alternative material solutions, eventually improving the recycling pattern of waste.

Reducing Sewage pollution

Sewage pollution is yet another concern, especially here in India. The major cause of increasing sewage pollution is that most of the problems go undetected. However, the use of pattern recognition, an AI technique, would help to monitor and track the wastewater flow. Besides, algorithms can detect the patterns and create critical data for research and analysis for future improvements.

Conservation of species

Over the years, the population of wildlife species has been continuously depleting. AI and data science helps environmentalists to study the movement of animals and other species, their behaviour, the routes they follow, their reproduction and hunting patterns. It helps curtail poaching and is an effective way of surveillance, for instance by using drones with cameras. Currently there are environmental, sustainability projects taking place using AI and data science, to prevent forest fires and monitor wildlife. It also helps the environmentalists to monitor rare wildlife species population and track them on cameras with smart sensors.

Help fight Climate Change

AI and data science can in the coming future be applied to thousands of issues affecting the environment. Data from various Space Research Centres can be used with the help of AI technology to identify and monitor changes in land and sea area, ice caps etc. Besides, data analysis can be done to reduce pollution and help fight Climate Change.

These technological solutions using AI and data science could help solve some of the most difficult environmental challenges.

The article is written by Dr. Mukesh Kwatra, Founder of Smiling Tree.