A Life Stripped Bare: Tiptoeing Through the Ethical Minefield
by Leo Hickman
Category: Biography & Autobiography

It is hardly news that a growing number of people want to step back from the brink of western consumerism and find a way to live an all-round cleaner existence - one that is not only easier on the physical body but one that is lighter on the conscience too. So how do we go about it? Most people fight shy of giving up their cars, or their toxic household products, their cheap washing machines, or dodgy, unethical bank accounts in order to make the world a better place. So Leo Hickman, resident consumer expert of the Guardian, decides that he will give up all these things instead and report back on whether it is possible to live a life that is western but aware. Leo is your average male consumer - with a young family and a job he commutes to. He is no green warrior and an innocent abroad when it comes to 'ethical' living. He is not going to preach, and he may have a few problems persuading even his wife and baby to give it a try. But he comes to this experiment with vigour.