WWF Plans To Fight Plastic Waste Crisis In Metaverse | Sciences

The Nature Conservancy WWF, along with artist group Savespecies, want to combat global pollution of water bodies through plastic waste in a virtual computer world. The World Wide Fund for Nature in Berlin has announced that the #OceanDetox exhibition space will open in the so-called Metaverse for World Cleanup Day action this Saturday.

The metaverse is a form of virtual world or virtual experience. Metaverse or metaverse is a word made up of the terms “meta” (Greek, meaning “in the middle” in this context) and “universe”. Describes a virtual space that you can enter with the help of appropriate devices – such as virtual reality glasses – and actively participate in it.

Draw attention to the plastic waste crisis

The exhibition aims to draw attention to the global plastic waste crisis and support concrete environmental protection measures. “Users can navigate the parallel virtual world created by Savespecies artists in order to playfully explore it,” a WWF spokesperson explained.

At the heart of the exhibit, which can be accessed online at www.saveyour.world, is a whale of 50 floating plastic waste. It can be purchased as a digital art. For example, the proceeds are intended to support the WWF’s work to combat plastic flooding in Vietnam.

Last October, the WWF used the hype surrounding virtual art and NFTs to draw attention to the status of endangered animal species. At the time, the WWF had sold the work of ten digital artists dealing with endangered species such as mountain gorillas or vaquita whales.

The Metaverse is currently being promoted as the walkable internet of the future primarily by the Meta group on Facebook. For months, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has been promoting the idea of ​​a 3D internet, “where you can participate in experiences for yourself and not just watch them.”

The waste crisis worsens

With work in the Metaverse, the WWF warns of a dangerous escalation of the garbage crisis. According to the organization, up to 23 million tons of plastic waste ends up in the world’s waters every year. This corresponds to two truckloads per minute.

“Even today, it is estimated that 90 percent of seabirds and half of sea turtles ingest the plastic parts.” Plastic waste degrades over the years into smaller microplastic particles, which can no longer be removed from the ocean and accumulate in the food chain.