Eco Book Review: A Life Stripped Bare
A Life Stripped Bare: tiptoeing through the ethical minefield – Leo Hickman
I read a lot of books and magazines about the environment and ways to become more eco friendly, but I have at last found one that is really down to earth about the whole thing. It is full of interesting facts and figures – but entertaining at the same time.
The reasons he gives for his actions and the changes he does and doesn’t make are so ‘real’ that it offers us all a chance to see where we too are choosing how ‘green’ we think we can be – or how ‘green’ we actually want to be!
He shows that you don’t have to go without things or scrimp and save all the time, but that it can be a viable option depending on your life style. For example, working in a formal environment and having a baby can mean a different set of criteria to those working on a small holding without a family.
Could you really go to work in central London if you hadn’t shaved your chin for a week or were trying to wash your suits less and your whites weren’t that white?
What’s It About?
Well, the author Leo Hickman, has decided to find out how he could become ‘green’ and make his house more eco friendly. He has recently moved to a new property and has a small baby, but generally he is just like any other average person in terms of ethical living.
He invites 3 specialists in to his home and life to find out what he has achieved so far, where he has gone wrong and what he can do in the future.
The result is a totally truthful account of his life and thoughts – as well as those of his not-so-convinced wife!
He covers everything from holidays to worms, nappies to the NHS, kitchen cleaners to lemon juice – and will have you in stitches along the way.
Why Is It Good?
Well, it allows you to see for yourself how eco friendly your own home is and more importantly – how you judge the actions of others.
There are many things he isn’t doing (or won’t do) that I find quite acceptable – and some things he decided were ‘ok’ that I found myself shocked at. But basically it’s all about levels of green – as I must shock people who are ‘more green’ than I am with some of the things I think are quite acceptable.
He also gets letters from random people (he writes for The Guardian newspaper) who are what I would call extreme! There is 1 lady who ‘washes only her stinky bits’ to save water and brushes her teeth with what she herself describes as a foul tasting concoction of salt and bicarbonate of soda to avoid chemicals!
Where do you sit on the green-scale?
How It Made Me Feel:
In general, his words certainly made me feel that I was lacking in certain areas and could really try a bit harder – but I also tended to agree with his comments regarding how ‘little’ it all feels in the whole global picture.
When you hear of all the disasters on the planet and how governments of the world seem to be trying their best to cut down forests, kill off species and pollute the atmosphere – you wonder if washing out your milk carton for recycling or watering your garden with bath-water is really going to stop the planet from falling to pieces?
Leo’s story just makes me feel like the little things do help and that my efforts are not being wasted. It also tells me that there are many, many, many other people out there doing the same – or better – to help us curb our wasteful habits and make a difference for the future.
More Eco Friendly?
If you do fancy reading this book – make sure that you get this book from your local library to save a whole new one being made – and while you are there check out their noticeboard for some local events you can attend to support your local community!
If you do want your own copy for reference, then check online (there are usually free Internet computers at libraries) for a second-hand one on many of the book trading sites like Amazon, eBay, or Freecycle or search for another site.
Let me know what you think!