For many of us, eating sustainably means remembering to bring our reusable bags to the grocery store. But Rob Greenfield wanted to go further. Much further. The sustainability, equity and justice activist has garnered a huge social media following with self-imposed challenges to raise awareness. Awhile back, he simplified his life down to just 44 possessions. Then there’s the time he rode his bike across the U.S. while bathing only in natural water sources like lakes and rivers. 

In 2019, Rob embarked on what might be considered his most extreme feat yet: an entire year of growing and foraging all of his food in Orlando. No grocery stores, no restaurants, no takeout, no dinners cooked by friends. He says his weight didn’t change, and he stayed in good health.

Dalia caught up with Rob in Gulfport, just south of St. Petersburg, where he was staying with a friend. We chatted in the backyard over  glasses of homemade kombucha. In this conversation, Rob shares how the yearlong experiment impacted his social life, the kitchen appliance he swears by and advice  for how we can all eat a bit more sustainably. Dalia started by asking Rob why he decided to give up grocery stores and restaurants for an entire year.

Related episodes: