The down-sizers: consume less to live better, 2 years on | France 2 | la suite

Refuse to consume ever more, work less, earn less to live better. Two years ago, we filmed Bénédicte, Alexandre, Audrey and Ludo: four French people who decided to adopt an economical life style, close to make-do mode. Two years later Bénédicte has had to swap her yurt without water or electricity for an apartment, but she promises herself she will return as soon as possible. Alexandre has pushed his anti-waste drive even further. Finally, Audrey and Ludo left to travel around the world and opened a shop in Lyon based on waste. But is “downsizing” a credible response to the crisis? Two years after our initial report the movement seems to have remained marginal.  Nevertheless, it is attracting young working people, who no longer see any sense in unbridled consumption. For this fresh investigation we visit a group set up in the Ardèche: they are engineers or technicians, but have chosen to live in utter destitution. Without being miserly, they live from recycling in make-do mode.