On a balmy day this summer, I’m hoping that Newington Green will be the first community in London to liberate itself from the plastic shopping bag.

But how is this going to help us with the bigger challenges we face? Shouldn’t I be trying to help solve the global food crisis or unravelling our suicidal tango with fossil fuels, instead of dilly-dallying with plastic bags?

The answer for me lies somewhere behind a statement one of my friends made the other day. ‘But I think the human race deserves to become extinct – we’ve made such a mess of things!’

I’m sure you have all come across this kind of reaction. But they don’t mean it. I believe it comes from a towering and daunting sense of helplessness. And I believe that this sense of helplessness is one of the biggest challenges facing those of us who would like to change to a more sustainable way of living.

To counter the sense of futility I think we need small steps. Simple, tangible, achievable improvements. Something which we can all do and can all agree on. You can’t argue in favour of the slow and painful death by starvation of the estimated two million marine animals every year who ingest plastic.

And once I made the decision to start, I found I was pushing at an open door. Suddenly there’s an amazing team of people who are helping with the campaign. 94% of residents want a ban. I’ve talked to dozens of great shopkeepers who all would like to stop the marine carnage … if only people would bring their own bag. And of course many people are already.

It is something which is already helping in its own small way to strengthen the bonds of our community, and add to the fantastic work of the Newington Green Action Group who are making Newington Green a great place to live.

But most importantly of all, small steps open people’s minds and make them think about our crazily wasteful way of living. It literally sets them on the path to a more sustainable future. The proof of the pudding is in Modbury, where the whole community have revolutionised the way they deal with their packaging and waste, less than a year after going plastic bag free.

But back in Newington Green it’s not easy. What do the dry cleaners do? Presenting the clean clothes in plastic bags, thereby giving the subconscious impression that the clothes are so clean that they are actually new, feels to them to be an essential part of their business model. Yes, they are indulging in a little deception. But it is a deception which we all happily partake in. Of course we could take our own suit bag to collect the clean clothes in. But then somehow they wouldn’t seem so clean. But taking our suit bag is what we must do.

What about the late-night takeaways? Who comes home from the pub with his own organic cotton bag? Cornstarch bags are the answer.

What is Vincent, the store manager at our Tesco Express to do? He has a three-line whip from head office. ‘You must continue to give out plastic bags!’ But in his heart, of course he agrees that it would be better to stop the senseless killing of dolphins, seals, whales.

Well, it’s only week three of the campaign. And despite these challenges, we have fantastic support. Our local councillors Anna Berent and Rhodri Jamieson-Bell have organised 3,000 ‘I love Newington Green’ bags, free from the council. Fantastic. This should help to turn the tide. I need to find someone to match that funding, so we can give out a bag for each and every resident. Any ideas?

We’re getting the school involved, which will give a whole new meaning to ‘pester power’.

And best of all, all our shops are reporting a steadily increasing number of people bringing their own bag. Let’s hope that the movement spreads across London. And don’t even think about accepting your dry cleaning in a plastic garment bag. Spare a thought for the dolphin which that plastic might kill.