Truth seeker, activist, social reformer and servant
to Earth, humanity and our plant and animal relatives.
to Earth, humanity and our plant and animal relatives.
Robin Greenfield lives simply and sustainably to be the change he wishes to see in the world and in active resistance to destructive and exploitative systems. His life is an experiment with truth and integrity – dedicated to liberation and basic rights for all – Earth, humans and the plants and animals we share this home with.
"The Robin Hood of Modern Times"
"The Forrest Gump of Ecology"
"The best kind of crazy"
"Different"
"The Trash Man Who Protects the Planet"
"World’s Foremost Dumpster Diver"
"A Modern Day Adventurer"
"The English language may need a new noun to define Robin Greenfield"
"Greener than Green"
"The Man Who Defies Supermarkets"
"A Thoreau-esque character for our digital age"
The Rich Roll Podcast
Listen to Robin on the Rich Roll Podcast. "A Thoreau-esque character for our digital age, he pushes the boundaries of essentialism to their outer limits in what amounts to performance art with purpose: shedding modern artifice to connect more deeply with himself and the planet. After walking 1,600 miles down the Pacific Coast with just 44 possessions, Robin arrived in Los Angeles, sat naked in Griffith Park, and relinquished everything — no ID, bank account, phone, or clothing — to live in nature, subsisting on strangers’ kindness."
MOREFood Freedom: A Year of Growing and Foraging 100% of My Food
Ten years ago, Robin awoke to the destruction of the industrial food system. Since then, he has been deeply exploring the food we eat, often through immersive activism, which led to one of his most burning questions: could he step outside of the food system completely and grow and forage 100% of his food? In Food Freedom, he shares his adventures of living without grocery stores or restaurants. Within the city of Orlando, Florida, he turned lawns into abundant gardens, with a biodiversity of over 100 plant species. He foraged 200 species of plants and mushrooms from nature, experimenting with food as his medicine. This book is an empowerment manual for liberation through food!
MORELiving Simply and Sustainably
At the heart of Robin’s action-based philosophy is his dedication to living simply and sustainably as a means of resistance to systems of oppression and exploitation. Through living closely connected to and in harmony with Earth, he is on a path of personal liberation. Through living simply, he rejects the societal standards of consumerism that contribute to inequity and injustice. Through years of self-work to overcome materialism, he downsized to owning just 111 possessions in 2016 and then simplified further to 44 possessions in 2020. Here, Robin sits in front of the tiny house he built from secondhand materials where he grew and foraged 100% of his food for a year.
MOREAn Experiment with Truth and Integrity
First and foremost, Robin’s life is an experiment with truth and integrity. In 2011, he realized the “American Dream” he was pursuing is the world’s nightmare. He let go of his dream of being a millionaire and began his transformation to live in harmony with Earth, humanity and our plant and animal relatives. At the age of 25, he got a vasectomy as a commitment to embracing humanity as his family and Earth as the shared family home. He has no bank account, credit card, life savings, car, cellphone or insurance and, since 2022, has had no form of government ID. He has been living this experiment for over a decade.
MOREActivist and Social Reformer
Robin’s public activism involves dramatic gestures designed to reach the mainstream and to provoke critical thought, self-reflection and positive change. His activism creates nuanced conversations on the critical issues of our time, with a focus on solutions for living in harmony. Thousands have made positive changes in their lives influenced by Robin’s activism. His work has been covered by media worldwide and he has been dubbed “The Robin Hood of Modern Times” by France 2 TV. Robin’s life is his message. Through his daily choices, he strives to influence others to be the change they wish to see in the world.
MOREServant to Earth, Humanity, Plants and Animals
Robin has committed to a set of lifetime vows – to earn below the federal poverty threshold, to resist federal taxes and to keep his net worth and possessions to a minimum. He donates 100% of his media earnings to grassroots nonprofits, with a focus on supporting Black and Indigenous women-led organizations that contribute to healing Earth and humanity, while serving the communities most affected by the dominator society. Through Community Fruit Trees, Seeds for the People and Gardens for the People, he has planted 2,000 fruit trees and provided seeds to over 40,000 citizens with low access to healthful foods.
MORELiberation from the Dominator Culture
Robin recognizes that being born into this world as a US American, a white man and with many other privileges, he is also the oppressor and the exploiter. His first act as a servant is to liberate himself as the dominator. He has done extensive work in this manner through deep listening, self-reflection, Compassionate Communication, Vipassana meditation and the practice of mindfulness and presence. From a place of love and compassion, Robin’s daily focus is on the liberation of Earth, humanity and our plant and animal relatives, especially those most oppressed by the dominator culture.
MORECommunity and Diversity at the Center
What Robin is dedicated to is simple – liberation and basic rights for all – Earth, humanity and our plant and animal relatives. He believes that community, diversity and biodiversity are central to all true solutions for a harmonious existence as humanity and he keeps these at the center of his service and his life choices. In a time when many feel disempowered, Robin chooses to live in gratitude and celebration of life. What keeps him going is his belief that our actions do matter and that as individuals and communities we have the power to liberate ourselves and contribute to the well-being of our communities.
MORENon-attachment and Impermanence
In a time when inequality and destruction is at an all-time high, Robin has committed to living simply so that others may simply live. Although he has dedicated his life to being in service, he has equally embraced a path of non-attachment and impermanence. His belief is that it is humanity’s attachments and belief of separateness that are driving us toward potential extinction. Robin has designed his existence around impermanence – while living a deeply purposeful and joyful life – and hopes to return to the soil when he dies, completing the cycle of life with integrity.
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