Ladies, gentleman, and distinguished guests:

女士们，先生们，以及尊贵的来宾们：

Hello everyone, my name is Chen Hetu. I am nine years old and come from Shanghai, China. This is my first time giving a speech before the United Nations, so I am very excited. I have come here today to advocate for reducing plastic use and living a green lifestyle. I am motivated merely by the hope that more people will hear my voice. As long as there is one person of you who agrees with my views, I will be happy!

大家好，我叫陈鹤途，今年9岁，来自中国上海。这是我第一次站在联合国的舞台上发表演讲，心情有点激动。今天我来到这里，倡议减塑环保，关注绿色生活方式!我没有任何动机，只是单纯希望更多人能倾听我的心声。在座的嘉宾只要有一位赞同我的理念，我觉得都是一件幸福的事情!

My speech today will focus on reducing plastics. Plastic products provide many conveniences, but have also changed our lives and polluted the environment. This is the global consensus. Researchers have predicted that 12 billion tons of plastic waste will be produced by 2050, and humans will be "submerged in their own waste."

今天我的演讲聚焦减塑。塑料制品在带来无数便利的同时也在改变我们的生活，对地球环境产生了污染，这已经成为了一个全球共识。研究人员预测，到2050年会产生120亿吨塑料垃圾，人类将"被自己制造的垃圾所淹没"。

Plastic book covers are a source of pollution most commonly encountered in children's school daily life. Although plastic book covers are just small objects we barely notice, they are behind the major problems of white pollution and ensuring our own ecological safety that humans must deal with.

塑料书皮就是与儿童日常学习生活中接触最多的污染源之一。虽说塑料书皮只是一个毫不起眼的小物件，但在其背后却牵涉到人类应对白色污染、保证自身生态安全的大课题。

At the beginning of this year, I launched a campaign at my school to say "no" to plastic book covers. Initially, no one understood, then gradually more of my classmates came around, and finally I had the support of all the teachers and students. In the process, my mindset underwent some fundamental changes. I think this campaign is pretty cool and quite different. Although it is only a small undertaking, I think it is very heart-warming. At least it is an attempt at taking the first step. Maybe once everyone gets used to making their own book covers instead of using plastic ones, we might realize that reducing plastics is actually an easy task.

今年年初，我在学校发起了"向塑料书皮说"不"的活动，从最初的无人理解到逐渐获得更多小伙伴理解，到最后全校师生的支持，我的心态发生了根本性的转变，我觉得这是一个蛮酷，蛮不一样的活动。虽然只一个很小的举动，但是我觉得这个举动很暖心，至少它是踏出第一步的一种尝试。或许等大家习惯不再使用塑料书皮，而选择自己动手包书皮，或许就会发现减塑其实是一件很容易的事情。

Nowadays, many schools require students to use manufactured book covers, and many also specify transparent plastics. Although they look tidy and beautiful, it creates a new series of problems.

如今，许多学校都要求学生使用成品书皮，不少还指定使用塑料透明书皮。虽然看起来整齐、美观，却带来一系列新问题。

First of all, the use of plastic book covers contributes to white pollution. A conservative estimate places the amount of plastic book covers used annually in the hundreds of millions. The plastic book covers are thicker than plastic bags, and so take longer to biodegrade.

首先，使用塑料书皮，容易造成白色污染。每年塑料书皮使用量保守估算也要数以亿计，塑料书皮的厚度比塑料袋要厚，降解所需的时间会更长。

Second, some plastic book covers that do not meet regulations contain formaldehyde and benzene, which have an impact on our nervous systems and physical development.

其次，一些不合格的塑料书皮含有甲醛和苯，对于我们的神经系统和体格发育有影响。

The Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China and three other departments jointly issued a notice in October preventing primary and secondary schools from forcing students to use plastic book covers, especially those problematic ones, and requiring them to work towards a "plastic-free school year." The day I saw the news, I realized that my initiative was not a vain slogan, and it deserved support and recognition from more groups.

中国教育部等四部门于10月共同印发通知，要求中小学校不得强制学生使用塑料书皮，尤其不能使用有问题的塑料书皮，努力实现"无塑开学季"。看到新闻的那天，我知道我的倡议并不是一句空空的口号，它理应得到更多群体的支持与认可。

I sincerely hope that more friends will be able to incorporate a reduction of disposable plastics into their way of life.

我真心希望更多的朋友能够把减少对一次性塑料的使用变成自己生活的一种方式。

But an important issue to be acknowledged here is that the more this enormous topic involves everyone, the easier it is for individuals to feel it is the responsibility of others, so they are less likely to notice things they can do differently, or to be sensitive and proactive in changing their behaviors.

但这里要面对的一个重要问题是，越是关系到每一个人的宏大主题，越是容易让具体个人感觉离自己相对遥远，从而失去针对这一主题进行积极思考、自觉行动的敏感性和主动性。

When trying tobetter the environment, you can't just count on others. In light of the opportunity presented by the ban on plastic book covers, every member of our society should take the initiative to prevent and control white pollution.

改善环境不能只指望别人，借着塑料书皮"禁令"出台的契机，我们每一个社会成员更应当采取更多的积极行动，为白色污染的防治贡献力量。

谢谢大家!

Thank you, everyone!

我们来看看陈鹤途参加大会后写的日记吧！