As we have reported numerous times, our urban lifestyle is damaging to the environment and our own physical and mental health. In a world where many are dependent on multinational corporations for them homes, food, and power many are unaware of the damaging consequences of these lifestyle choices.
Enter Rob Greenfield, the dude making a difference. Greenfield— now author of Dude Making a Difference: Bamboo Bikes, Dumpster Dives and Other Extreme Adventures Across America—was an ordinary man with an ordinary lifestyle, who decided to learn more about the world around him and help make it a better place for everyone and everything.
On his website, he documented his transformation from an “environmental and social nuisance” to an individual who benefited society and the environment, in order to showcase the benefits of the changes and inspire other people to make changes of the own.
Over the course of four years he worked to adopt an Earth friendly lifestyle, making changes gradually and setting himself small, realistic goals to accomplish over the course of his transformation. To do this, he “gave up on restrictive social norms and stigmas and embarked down a path of living for the benefit of the earth, my community, and myself.”
His journey began in 2005, whilst he was studying biology at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Like any typical student, Greenfield got sucked into the party life and was primarily focused on “beer, women, and fun mostly.” Unsurprisingly, this self-fulfilling lifestyle led him to leave the environment by the wayside. During the years 2005 and 2009, he traveled America, spending his time working hard during the summer and focusing on becoming successful millionaire.
In 2010, after traveling the world, “he gained an appreciation for how diverse and immense the world is and a desire to protect it.” As a result, the following year he moved from his homeland of Wisconsin and moved to San Diego, California where he met more open minded people.
In 2011, he started The Greenfield Group, an environmentally active marketing company, and joined One Percent for the Planet. Shortly after, he focused his attention on sustainability and began to learn how his actions affected the earth, other people and animals, pulling information from documentaries and books. From there he was able to begin transforming his lifestyle.
“There was no moment of clarity or significant occurrence, just a realization through education that my simple daily actions were causing a lot of destruction to the earth, to fellow humans both near and far, and to the creatures that I share the earth with,” Greenfield writes.
Over the course of the next few years, Greenfield switched to all natural body care and cleaning products; got rid of his microwave and plastic items; switched to a mostly whole food, unprocessed, vegetarian diet, and greatly reduced his alcohol intake.
However, Greenfield soon realized that he wanted to dedicate his life to the masses and become part of the solution. As a result, he pulled all of his investments in companies that do harm to the environment, sold his car; transformed his business to help improve the world; started a number of projects including a community bike program, trash clean-ups, and energy efficient light bulb exchanges.
Eventually, after 4 years of dedication, Greenfield was in prime physical condition, had moved into a 50 square foot home and was living off the grid in the city, was growing his own food, and was donating 90% of all the money he made off media to non-profits.
By documenting each of the small steps that he took to becoming a healthy, happy person who benefited society and the environment, he has demonstrated that we are all capable of making a better life for ourselves, the people around us, and the earth.
Take a look at Rob Greenfield’s transformation timeline and incorporate a few of these changes into your own life. Maybe try switching to natural products, reducing your meat and alcohol intake, eat locally produced foods and replace you shower heads and light-bulbs with energy efficient alternatives. These small changes will not only help make the world a better place, it is likely you will also gain a greater sense of fulfillment and happiness.
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