SUNDAY, April 22 – St George’s day in Salisbury Market Place; 1,034 beagles take part in a rally in Derbyshire for the world record for the largest single breed dog walk (Barney among them) and World Earth Day; an international day of action to safeguard the planet for future generations.

Previous campaigns have focused on using less energy, conserving water and composting (and if you’ve not yet discovered the wonders of composting, the Council have a special deal to get you started...). This year though it was plastic.

We tip eight million tons of plastic into the oceans each year. By 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the sea. A UN report a few weeks ago that found scary levels of microplastic pollution in bottled water.

Scientists are only just beginning to identify the risks to human health posed by microplastics, but by Sunday night I was left wondering what I could do to protect myself, my son, my beagle and the planet…

The nearest beach being an hour away, taking part in a beach clean-up seemed belated and tokenistic; I consoled myself with the thought that I would cause more damage to the planet by driving there, than good I could possibly do clearing it up. Instead, I spent the evening reading up about plastic pollution and discovered that even in landlocked Salisbury we can each do our bit to clean up the ocean.

n First – give up bottled water. Tap water is better for you. Buy a flask and refill it. If you don’t buy the plastic in the first place, you won’t have to dispose of it and can’t end up in the ocean.

n Second – take your own cup when you go for a coffee. We all take our own bags to the supermarket these days. Taking cups for coffee is the next logical step.

n Third – choose products that have less plastic packaging. Most supermarkets have loose fruit and veg alongside the prepacked. It’s the veg you want – not the packaging. The biggest increase in the use of plastics has been in packaging. Better still, buy it from the market!

n Fourth – give up using plastic straws; they can’t be recycled. If you order a drink, make a point of asking for it without a straw. Or take your own. Or demand a natural alternative.

n Fifth – try to avoid buying clothes with plastic microfibres such as nylon and polyester. The microfibres come out in the wash and end up in the ocean, in marine life and eventually back in us... See if there’s a natural alternative. Vote with your wallet!

Small steps for sure, but journeys are made up of a lot of small steps and if enough of us choose to make that journey – we have a movement...