Public Speaking

About Rob

Robin Greenfield is an adventurer, environmental activist, humanitarian and dude making a difference. He is dedicated to leading the way to a more sustainable and just world.
Robin is the creator of The Food Waste Fiasco, a campaign that strives to end food waste and hunger in the U.S. He has dived into more than two thousand dumpsters across the U.S. to demonstrate how nearly half of all food in the U.S. is wasted while 50 million (one in seven) US Americans are food insecure.
Robin has cycled across the U.S. three times on a bamboo bicycle to bring his message of sustainability and earth-friendly living to the nation. His first bike ride across the U.S. is now a book, Dude Making a Difference. On his third cross-country ride, Green Riders, he was joined by 48 people throughout the ride who did good deeds on bikes.
In 2015, he lived off the grid in a 50-square-foot tiny home in San Diego. He then auctioned his home to raise enough money to build ten tiny houses for people with no homes.
In 2016 Robin landed in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil without a penny in his pocket. He was on a mission to travel to Panama, 7,000 miles and seven countries away while only relying on the goodness of humanity. This adventure is a six-episode series called Free Ride on Discovery Channel which played worldwide. He donates 100% of his media income to grassroots nonprofits.
In 2018–2019 Robin in Orlando, Florida in a tiny house he built with repurposed materials as part of a yearlong project to grow and forage 100% of his food.
Robin’s life and adventures have caught the attention of the world. He has been featured on thousands of media outlets including National Geographic, BBC, Discovery Channel, LA Times and The Guardian.

Read Robin’s biography and see his media appearances to get to know him more.

For those interested in bringing Robin to your community, download his Speaking press sheet here.

For Robin’s current speaking schedule click here.

Robin in Paris, France in 2017 giving his second TEDx Talk.

 

To date, Robin has spoken at over 150 events to nearly 20,000 people in 13 countries. His speaking venues range from elementary schools to universities, small businesses to international corporations, rural villages to big cities, municipal organizations, nonprofits and more.

He is able to relay his message to people of all ages and walks of life while connecting with 4-year-olds at preschools to elders in senior care centers.

He has given two TEDx Talks: one at TEDxTeen on “How to End the Food Waste Fiasco” in London and another at TEDxIHEParis in Paris on how to “Be the Change in a Messed up World.”

Above all else, Robin prides himself in his ability to inspire people at public speaking engagements. This inspiration transforms audience members so much so that when they walk out of the room, they commit to making changes for a better world. His talks are not just educational and inspirational but often quite hilarious which makes the topic of sustainability more accessible to a wide range of people. He is even able to connect with people who’ve barely thought of environmental issues before. Still, Robin isn’t speaking to the choir. Because of his lead-by-example actions and his extreme dedication to the cause, he inspires people who’ve been working in the field for decades to take their work further.

To inquire about a speaking event with Rob, please email speaking@robingreenfield.org. Robin lives a simple life and has minimal monetary needs so the vast majority of money he raises from speaking is donated to environmental nonprofits. For further information on his donations, see Robin’s vows and his net worth. One hundred percent of Robin’s income from media including his TV show and book are donated to nonprofits.

Robin is currently scheduling his 2020 World Solutions Tour.

Robin presenting “Trash Me” in Vienna, Austria on his 2017 European tour.

Testimonials

Book Robin. Book him now. Not only does he have the most compelling and important content that the world needs to know about but he takes you on an adventure with him right from your seat. He knows how to play off the audience and his confidence is organic and contagious. He is wonderful to work with—organized, dedicated and so much fun. I work with many speakers and by far, he was one of the best decisions we ever made. If you’re looking for a speaker who gets conversations going beyond event day, look no further. He is authentic as authentic comes.

—Jess Teutonico, Executive Director, We Are Family Foundation and Curator, TEDxTeen

 

There are those who know all the right things to do but know not how to pass along the knowledge and there are those who know all the right things to say but know not how to put it in action. It’s very rare to see someone who not only talks the talk and walks and walk, but also has the ability to relate to others and engage their attention within ten seconds, regardless of age or gender. Robin is that person. Over the course of his “Trash Talk” given to our elementary students and their parents, we noticed that the kids went from being fidgety on the benches to migrating towards the stage one by one and forming a circle around Robin. We all walked away more informed about how to be kinder to our environment and inspired to take actions. I could almost see another one or more kids from tonight’s audience following Robin’s footsteps in another decade or two!

—The Forest Hill Elementary School STEM Committee

 

What really sums up the experience is that the first thing that was said was: “Wow, he is just such a good person” and it is safe to say that we were all thinking it. After talking with Rob, the group stayed for almost an hour past our meeting time discussing ways we could implement the things he mentioned on campus. It was the most realistic, productive, and exciting meeting we have had as that group! He provided us with so much knowledge and insight on how to make a difference in this world and now we believe we will!

—Emily Mazan, Secretary of Valparaiso University Environmental Club

 

Robin told stories of just how far he discovered we need to go in order to truly address the brokenness of the world we are living in. But he also told these stories with such love and warmth and without judgment that we were left feeling inspired rather than guilty and overwhelmed. He truly inspired us as a community to keep these conversations going. One result of which is we now have a Food Savers scheme, redistributing food that would otherwise be dumped. Thank you Rob!

—Ciara Brehony, Common Ground Bray, Wicklow, Ireland.

 

Robin was a refreshing change from our “normal” external speakers. He fully connected and engaged the younger generation in particular (our audience were mostly in their 20s). By combining the environment with adventuring it gives a more interesting angle to pure “environment” talks which risk a boring preach leaving you feeling guilty and overwhelmed. Many in the audience observed that they subsequently talked to friends about the issues, and had animated conversations with those present on the night. These are the current issues facing our world today and Robin tackles them with the right level of seriousness but mostly with humor and fun stories.

—Quote from a Partner at a Big 4 Professional Services firm

 

Robin Greenfield was a captivating and passionate speaker who highlighted our sustainability conference. His dedication to positivity and sustainability was strongly apparent, making his presentation as equal in popularity to our national best-selling keynote speaker! It was clear that during Robin’s presentation, a wave of inspiration and excitement spread through the audience, sparking a meaningful discussion about simple living.

—Aaron Hussmann, Former Campus Organizer for CALPIRG Energy Service Corps

 

I have found that students often feel overwhelmed by the magnitude and scope of global environmental problems and they sometimes feel helpless in reflecting on their roles in potential solutions. Robin was able to connect with the students in a practical and engaging way and he appealed to their interests in a manner that academic texts are unable to achieve. Furthermore, his experiences provided the basis for our ongoing class discussions about the various ways that each of us can communicate about our environmental attitudes and concerns and about suggestions for new approaches, behaviors or habits. In a word, Robin’s discussion with this class was inspirational and the enthusiastic responses from the students confirmed its value for their learning experiences.

—Robert B. Richardson, PhD Michigan State University

 

Robin Greenfield’s presentation was awe-inspiring and inspirational for our fifth-grade environmental heroes. Months later, students are still referring to “The Trash Man” as we complete our all-school compost project. Now more than ever, our students understand the importance of reducing their waste and discouraging wasteful habits of others.

—Claire Brennan, Service Learning Coordinator at Friends Seminary

 

Robin Greenfield gives us the gold standard in sustainability presentations. He rivets his audiences with stories of his unique adventures and incredible visuals. Robin shows us that living sustainably just requires some thought, preparation and sometimes a little bit of grit. All of us need to live more sustainably and Robin shows us how. He shows us that going to the extremes of sustainability is doable, satisfying, educational and fun.

—Dave Engel, co-founder San Diego 350 Planet Based Diet Team

 

Robin is a great speaker. It was a great experience to host Robin Greenfield in Vienna with 350 people in the audience. His natural way of being and speaking was truly inspiring for everyone. Robin took a lot of time before and after the show to connect in person with as many fans as possible. His stories stayed with us for a long time after the talk. Everyone who sees Robin Greenfield live believes that he or she can be the change we wish to see in the world. We all can do it.

—Helene Pattermann, Founder of Zero Waste Austria 

 

Robin Greenfield brings with him a magnetic energy that you feel not only in his action and solution-oriented message but an energy that radiates in the room and ignites a passion in his audience, as well. His presentation to my students left a lasting impression not only on them, but also the adults in the room. That’s because he doesn’t just present a problem, he empowers them with tangible solutions. He doesn’t just say to become part of the solution, he demonstrates exactly how. Robin is well-traveled and he brings his worldly experiences and knowledge to his interactions, which makes him very personable and able to connect with people almost instantaneously. I highly recommend Robin if you’re considering having him do a presentation at your organization because everyone present will walk away thinking and ready to act.

—Pallavi Shastri, Green Team Coordinator P.S. 69Q, Jackson Heights, NY

 

The local Authority Waste Prevention Network in Ireland was delighted to have Robin as their Key Note speaker at their annual plenary meeting. Whilst everybody in the room was already committed to waste prevention and sustainability, Robin provided great motivation and ideas to us all to continue our work in community engagement. One of the key take-home messages was that although the problems our planet face are huge, we cannot do nothing and that each one of us should take responsibility for our own actions, something that Robin has clearly done. Since the talk, a number of participants have used Robin’s ideas with events such as a food rescue event and a zero-waste meal in a restaurant.

—Nial O’Connor, Environmental Awareness Officer Monaghan County Council

 

Having Robin come and talk to the students about waste gave the hope needed to make change. Students knew a lot about all the negatives of climate change and waste and many viewed the ‘solution’ as large and unachievable. Robin was able to provide meaningful and realistic changes students could do right away, so they did! As a class, they decided to all give up using plastic straws straight away. This was the seed needed to allow further action to happen as children and young adults. What made it special was it all came from Robin’s own personal experience, giving everything a solid context. The whole session was pitched perfectly to the age and ability of the students and they loved hearing about his adventures and asking plenty of engaging questions.

—Marcus James, International School of Geneva, Switzerland

 

I highly recommend inviting Robin Greenfield to speak to your class or group about sustainable living and making a difference. Robin spoke to my sustainability and justice class in San Diego City College’s Peace Studies program and the students loved it. He’s a very engaging speaker and the students found his story to be accessible, relatable and inspiring. Robin shows that someone just like them can make a big difference just by making some changes to how they live their lives. He makes this seem not only feasible but fun!

—Stephanie Knox Cubbon, Peace Studies Professor, San Diego City College

 

Robin came to a chilly Lancing College on the south coast of England to talk to our 16- and 17-year-olds and truly inspired them with his passion for the environment and how to live lightly on the earth. We have so many plans to improve the school’s approach to the environment as a result of Robin’s visit. He was great fun and his sheer zest for life was infectious.

—Daniel Connolly, Assistant Head, Lancing College

 

The impact of his story was evident in the fact that people came from right across London and beyond to hear him speak about zero-waste living and his invaluable observations. Robin is a doer, plain and simple. Because of that, he is a change-maker and inspiration to us all. This is what matters; his hands-on approach to getting things done will be the thing that makes the difference.

—Alice Gilsenan, Co-founder Tiny Leaf London

 

We knew an event photo of a fit dude naked on a bike might draw in a few more audience members than our events usually do. What we didn’t anticipate was the enormous effect Robin would have on the student body. Never has the society had so many people signing up to actually be involved. He took the ideas of sustainability that everyone had talked about for years in the society and brought them alive. The increase in environmental action on campus is absolutely amazing. Robin has wonderful friendly charisma and a way of making his lifestyle and ways of addressing incredibly important environmental issues accessible and desirable. People still come up to me five months later and tell me what a super few days it was. I think the most telling thing is that no one felt like a message was being forced upon them. Everyone had fun. Everyone wanted to be his friend. What more could you want from an ambassador for good?

—Aine O’Gorman, President of Environmental Society at Trinity College Dublin