Robin Greenfield
American activist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Robin Greenfield (born August 28, 1986) is an American environmental activist.[1] He is known for raising awareness for sustainability issues, often through attention-grabbing tactics.[2]
Robin Greenfield | |
|---|---|
Greenfield during Trash Me campaign in 2016 | |
| Born | August 28, 1986 |
| Occupation | Environmental activist |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Website | robingreenfield |
Early life
Greenfield was born and raised in Ashland, Wisconsin, where he and his three siblings were raised by a (non-religious) Jewish[3] single mother.[4] At the age of 18 he became an Eagle Scout.[5]
After graduating from Ashland High School in northern Wisconsin, Greenfield attended the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology.[5] He traveled to six continents throughout his time in university and upon graduation.[4] In 2011, Greenfield relocated to San Diego, California.
Environmental activism
In 2013, Greenfield cycled 4,700 miles (7,600 km) across America on a bicycle made of bamboo.[6] On the 104-day ride he used 160 US gallons (610 L) of water, created two pounds (0.9 kg) of trash, traveled via his own power except for one mile (1.6 km) on a ferry into New York City, plugged into five electrical outlets, and never turned on a light switch.[7] About 70 percent of his diet came from dumpsters—he ate more than 280 pounds (130 kg) of food from grocery store dumpsters to bring attention to food waste.[8]
From April 2013 to April 2014, Greenfield spent a year bathing only in natural water sources such as rivers, lakes, waterfalls, and in the rain to raise awareness about consumption, water conservation, and living simply.[9][10]
Greenfield cycled across the US for the second time in the summer of 2014. He aimed eat solely by dumpster diving at grocery stores and convenience stores[8] to draw attention to and find solutions for food waste.[11] The purpose of the campaign was to get grocery stores to donate the food they would otherwise throw away.[12]
In September 2015, Greenfield embarked on a journey across South America with no money.[13] The trip was filmed by documentarian James Levelle for Discovery Channel. The mini-series was 6 episodes and aired on Discovery Channel in May 2016.[13]
In October 2016, Greenfield spent a month in New York City wearing all the trash he produced during the month on his body by storing the trash in a suit with clear plastic pockets, designed by trashion designer Nancy Judd.[14][15]
From November 2018 to November 2019, Greenfield lived in Orlando, Florida and ate only food that he could grow and forage.[16][17][18] He grew over 100 different foods in gardens and foraged more than 200 foods from the wild, using skills he learned from local teachers.[19]
Personal life
Books
- Greenfield, Robin (2016). Dude Making a Difference: Bamboo Bikes, Dumpster Dives and Other Extreme Adventures Across America. Gabriola Island, BC: New Society Publishers. ISBN 9780865718074.
- Greenfield, Robin (2022). Zero Waste Kids: Hands-On Projects and Activities to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Beverly, MA: Quarry Books, The Quarto Group. ISBN 9781631599415.
- Greenfield, Robin; Banyard, Antonia (2022). Be the Change: Robin Greenfield's Call to Kids—Making a Difference in a Messed-Up World. Vancouver: Greystone Books. ISBN 9781771645935.
- Greenfield, Robin (2024). Food Freedom: A Year of Growing and Foraging 100% of My Food. Robin Press. ISBN 9798350732283.
