Many people may have heard of Rob Greenfield, an American activist of worldwide renown. There will also be those who have never heard of him. However, I believe that this brief reflection is for both types of people.
About two years ago I met Rob. And although it was not a personal encounter (I was lucky enough to attend one of his lectures) his genuine personality made it feel that way. But, before I continue, I think a brief introduction is in order.
I believe that the best way to get to know someone is through their work . Therefore, I am going to tell a little about all that he has achieved, and what has led him to be recognized as a reference for environmentalism and Social Justice.
Who is
Rob defines himself as a humanitarian activist dedicated to leading the way towards a more sustainable, just and egalitarian world. He donates 100% of his profits to community organizations dedicated to making a difference in the world and has earned a reputation as an influential figure based on his radical (and somewhat simple) environmental projects.
He really lives the change he would like to see in the world. And it motivates us to believe in the power of individuals; but, especially, in the power of communities. Personally, as one of the co-founders of Compra Sin Plástico, this philosophy resonates deeply within me, as I believe that the more people join this change and decide that they really want a more sustainable world, the closer we will be to a new paradigm.
Your projects
Before talking about the day I met him in particular, I think it is important to mention some of his projects, as I believe that this type of actions should be highlighted whenever we have the opportunity.
Food is one of the topics Rob is most interested in. And this is something that seems natural, it is the most basic issue for a healthy life. For one calendar year, Rob grew 100% of the food he ate, demonstrating the importance of community gardens and a balanced diet. This involved not visiting bars, supermarkets, restaurants or food pantries during that period. And her good health proved that it is not only possible, but advisable to grow our own food and achieve food security and freedom. Some post-pandemic episodes, such as the container crisis and border closures, have proved him right in this regard. Just imagine our cities covered with fruit trees and edible plants?
Continuing with the food theme, Rob also brought waste to our attention.
Particularly all products in good condition that are thrown away by large supermarket chains. A shocking fact is that 50% of all food produced in the United States is wasted. And to prove that the food was in perfect condition, Rob Greenfield fed himself from supermarket dumpsters and even organized feasts for more than a thousand people. In this way, he managed to demonstrate the importance of consuming our food and avoid the strong contradiction between the enormous amount of food waste and the millions of people in the world who do not know where their next meal will come from.
The serious problem of garbage and waste.
This is a topic to which we devote a lot of resources at Compra Sin Plástico. When we visit plastic-infested beaches, we have no choice but to talk to people about the importance of reducing our waste.
There is an "out of sight, out of mind" culture, which more or less implies that we don't think about what we don't see. And that's just what happens with garbage. The average person in the United States generates 4.5 pounds of trash. And for 30 days Rob Greenfield lived this way, with one core difference: instead of throwing all his waste in the trash, he added it to bags he carried with him as a suit. Evidently, this left a curious image that is worth seeing, especially to reflect on all the waste we are generating and sending directly to a landfill without thinking about the serious consequences of such acts.
In short, many of Rob Greenfield's projects are aimed at making us see (in an extreme way) that it is possible to live in a simple and sustainable way. That the society we live in is not the only way to relate to each other as a species and to the rest of nature and, in short, that it is possible to make change, that our actions matter and that one person can make a big impact on the lives of others.
Why I am telling you all this
Despite having achieved a good share of celebrity, with more than 179k followers on IG, almost a million followers on FB and having been the subject of reports by newspapers around the world such as LA Times, Telemundo, Discovery Channel, France 2, among others, what impressed me most when I met Rob, was his simplicity and closeness.
In a packed auditorium of the Universidad Véritas, on March 3, 2020 (shortly before the mandatory Pandemic closures), in an elegant event, Rob appeared in the audience with his usual shorts and his traditional green T-shirt, barefoot and with an illuminated smile. With a little trepidation I approached him with my hand outstretched and Rob greeted me with a hug as if he had known me all my life. The same hug he gave to all the people gathered around him.
Our society has isolated us
I am not referring to the various health measures (which I hope will be overcome in the near future), but in terms of how we perceive other human beings, our brothers and sisters in this world. Rob did not know me, nor many of the people who came to hear him talk about sustainability that day, but it was enough for him to know that we were together in this great boat we call Planet Earth.
This sense of closeness reminded me of a greeting from a Mayan shaman I once met in Mexico, who more or less said that whatever happened, whoever we were, we would always be under the same sun and under the same moon. And in that sense, we would be brothers.
Apart from all the great projects of this inspiring environmentalist, I will keep this: unconditional love for humanity as the supreme act of love for oneself. May each of our actions be guided by this love and sincerity of heart, the rest will follow. And if you can take anything away from this anecdote, let it be the importance of our decisions and the effect they have on the rest of the world. Every action counts.
- Free translation of the text: "Rob Greenfield is an activist humanitarian, dedicated to leading the way to a more sustainable, just and equal world." Seen on his website: www.robgreenfield.org
One comment
"[...] unconditional love towards humanity as the supreme act of love towards oneself." Thank you for such a sincere and genuine message. A reading that fills us with hope and makes us believe even more in the power of our daily actions, always seeking the common good. 🔝