LAST month was plastic-free July.

Zero-waste shops are on the increase. Romsey has a brilliant one called Lemon & Jinja in the Basepoint Industrial estate - and Tesco now has a trial of Loop products, which come in reusable containers.

Recently, it was shown that microplastics can be absorbed by plants into food such as apples, carrots, lettuce, and even wheat.

Plastic has already been found in drinking water (both bottled and tap), in fish and shellfish, in air and in rain.

It has also been found at both poles and at the bottom of the deepest sea trench.

And the plastic isn’t necessarily coming from far away - I discovered a few months ago that I was generating microplastic in my own wardrobe.

A plastic hanger, maybe 20 to 30 years old, was disintegrating and leaving black, microplastic dust on my clothes.

If you are concerned about this and other environmental problems, please tell your MP.

Romsey’s MP Caroline Nokes says that the environment has only recently crept into the top five issues of local concern, but that could just be because it’s not as “in your face” as other issues.

The government has advice on how to contact your MP, but if that seems a little daunting, a petition was recently started for the Romsey and Southampton North constituency.

To sign the petition go to: www.change.org/p/ caroline-nokes-mp-dear-carolinenokes-mp-thetimeisnow-for-agreen-recovery.

Esther Dovey

North Baddesley