I once unwrapped lunch without a second thought, yet every plastic fork I tossed still haunts some beach today. The billions spent cleaning up and the fisheries collapsing are bills our planet can’t keep paying. But despair isn’t on the menu—scientists now serve biodegradable plastic, and I carry my own chopsticks like tiny swords. If we refuse single-use today, Earth won’t wait for tomorrow. Let’s trade convenience for conscience and save the only home we share. HU Guo, a student from Qingdao Laoshan District No. 2 Experimental Primary School This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx