"One year ago, I started following a vegan lifestyle. I’d heard whispers about the dairy industry and the environmental impact of animal agriculture, but I’d willingly ignored them. It was intimidating to commit to something I thought would be awkward and difficult to adhere to. But the more I learnt about pollution, animal suffering, and human famine, the less those things seemed to matter. At first, I struggled, but then I became creative with my cooking and active in my contribution (through volunteering and activism) to the cause. I felt part of a compassionate and enthusiastic community, all working together for something more than just ourselves.
This led me to set up Franc and Lil’s Garden Café with co-founder, Lily Taylor, helping others to eat more ethically and get back in touch with nature. This endeavour has brought us a lot of joy, but it has also exposed us to additional environmental issues, which cannot be ignored. When Lily and I learnt about the detriment plastic is causing, we felt impelled to push further. Once again, I was nervous about committing to a new lifestyle; taking the plastic pledge poses many challenges. But it has already given so much back. We have discovered innovative and wonderful ways of avoiding plastic and encountered inspiring cooperative ventures. As people at the beginning of this journey, we are now using the Garden Café to recount all our successes and mishaps so that others can avoid the same pitfalls and benefit from our discoveries."
