Amazon is making a significant shift from plastic air pillows to recycled paper filler for packaging in North America. The company aims to reduce waste, prioritize recyclable materials, and ensure items arrive undamaged. This transition, already 95% complete, will remove almost 15 billion plastic air pillows annually by the end of the year. Despite facing criticism from environmental groups in the past, Amazon is taking a step in the right direction with this move. Investors and advocates are pleased with the progress but are urging the company to continue efforts to reduce waste further. Amazon is also exploring innovative solutions such as reusable packaging and AI-powered robots for recycling. The company's transition process involved changing machinery and training employees. Overall, Amazon's switch to recycled paper filler is not only better for the environment but also provides improved protection during shipping compared to plastic air pillows.