Since making more of a conscious effort to make decisions that are better for the environment, I’ve noticed two things that keep coming up:

– all milkshakes and smoothies in cafes are served in plastic cups, with plastic lids and plastic straws

– it’s difficult to balance out this single use plastic with the environmental benefits of being a vegan

Case in point –  today the kids, my mum and me went for tea and cake in Gusto’s in Woodseats. I’d been there once before so knew they had a vegan cake option and soya milk, so I ordered this delicious sticky toffee date and peacan slice:

Joni wanted a milkshake and I didn’t even think to ask if it came in a plastic cup so moments later, this monstrosity was delivered to our table:

The question is – do the benefits of my vegan cake outweigh the negative impact Joni’s plastic-wrapped milkshake has on the environment?

I think not.

Sometimes (or it’s starting to seem, all the time) making better choices for the environment is confusing.

I tell myself that buying something dairy that comes in plastic is OK because I’m drinking soya milk and eating a vegan cake. But I really don’t think it is OK.

The whole point of this blog is to record how I’m doing my best, but when I’m tired, scared of tantrums, wanting to get my daughter a treat, or simply just desperate to order as quickly as possible so I can sit down, I know I could make better decisions.

The only way round this is to think a little bit more before I buy things and, maybe, stop buying things unless I’m sure of the environmental impact they have.

Is that realistic though? Probably not but it’s certainly something to think about.