‘Man Who Owns Nothing’ Stops in Santa Barbara on 1,500-Mile Walk from Canada

Environmental Activist Robin Greenfield’s Trek to Los Angeles Is Lead-Up to Three-Month Experiment in ‘Non-Ownership’

Robin Greenfield is in the final stretch of his 1,600-mile walk from Canada to L.A., where he plans to shed all of his belongings for an experiment in non-ownership. | Credit: Robin Greenfield

Robin Greenfield owns almost nothing — all of his possessions have been reduced to fit in a three-wheeled stroller. A handmade sign on the front reads, “WALKING CANADA TO L.A. EACH STEP A GREETING TO MOTHER EARTH.”

On January 10, Greenfield made it to Santa Barbara. The environmental activist had completed 1,500 miles of his journey from Canada, including 900 miles in handmade moccasins and 600 miles completely barefoot.

His trek to Los Angeles is the lead-up to a three-month experiment in “non-ownership,” where he plans to shed everything he owns, including, yes, even his clothes.

Greenfield, a sustainability YouTuber with more than 400,000 subscribers, is no stranger to social experiments — in the past, he’s worn his trash for 30 days straight. But this will be a new kind of challenge for him.

Sitting cross-legged in Plaza de Vera Cruz — the Cota Street park known for its trapeze acts — Greenfield was surrounded by a circle of local fans, fellow walkers joining him for the final stretch, and a modest film crew.

“I’m thinking about how, days from now, I will be naked in a park, owning absolutely nothing,” he said with a smile, picking at the grass beneath his legs.

The Wisconsin-born environmentalist set out on his adventure from the U.S/Canadian border in July 2024, primarily following the Pacific Coast Highway. His long journey is evident in his calloused, dirt-covered feet and his clothing, held together by safety pins.

Once he reaches Los Angeles, Greenfield plans to give up the last remnants of his belongings.

On January 10, Greenfield stopped in Santa Barbara to connect with local fans and fellow walkers. | Credit: Callie Fausey
Greenfield shows off his handmade walking shoes. | Credit: Callie Fausey
Greenfield is being accompanied by a modest film crew planning to make a documentary about his experience. | Credit: Callie Fausey
During his stop in Santa Barbara, Robin Greenfield met a newlywed couple, Rosa and Miguel. Still in their formal wedding garb, they said they were big fans of his Youtube channel. When they heard he was in town, they decided they needed to stop by. | Credit: Callie Fausey

The walk, he said, is to help him slow down, simplify, and break free from the common “trappings” of everyday life. He’s walked six to seven hours each day (minus rest days), which he’s spent living in the moment and “making the sky his best friend.”

“I can tell you my relationship with the birds is very different than it was when I left Canada,” he chuckled.

To prepare, Greenfield simplified his physical possessions down to things he can walk with. And he’s been giving away some of those possessions as he’s passed through different communities, along with revealing all of his secrets in a YouTube series, to “empty his mind” and open himself up to “complete transparency.”

“With each day on the road, I’m shedding more of the past and walking into the present,” he said.

In 2022, Greenfield wore his trash for 30 days around LA. | Credit: Sierra Ford

Soon, the man who still owns some stuff (for now) will be the man who owns nothing. He told his Santa Barbara groupies that he is questioning the things unquestioned — money and ownership, he noted, are made-up social concepts.

“At the heart of this is sustainability,” he added, vowing to consume less in the face of overconsumption.

By shedding his worldly possessions, he wants to “unravel” this “web of consumerism” he found himself in. He chose Los Angeles because it’s a well-populated epicenter of culture, and an ideal place to share his message and stay warm using only basic items.

“It’s also to see if I can maintain a deep connection to Earth even though I’m in a major city,” he explained. “My objective is to experiment with existing with the absolute basics, not even carrying a cup or a bowl or a book or a notebook or a light.”

Greenfield walks six to seven hours each day, seen here strolling through Big Sur. | Credit: Robin Greenfield

However, he will borrow a few items — for no longer than 10 days at a time — prioritizing clothes, a blanket or sleeping bag, and maybe a sleeping mat or tent. When he initially ditches his clothes to start the experiment, Greenfield is hoping someone will donate a sheet or some other article of clothing to cover himself up. If none are offered, he plans to use a natural solution — like a nearby palm frond.

He will live without accepting or handling any money, but people have offered to pay others or volunteered themselves to record content for his YouTube and social media channels. He plans to use the Earth to provide himself with his basic needs, and make relationships with the life and community around him to share resources.

During his time owning nothing, he will “live in service to the community,” including volunteer work; “practice simple living”; and share his messages with others.

He did acknowledge that for some, non-ownership is not optional. He is not saying that anyone should practice non-ownership. “I’m incredibly sensitive to people who are experiencing homelessness, and, of course, the people who have lost everything recently to the fire,” he said, referring to the fires burning through Los Angeles.

We live in a society “where the haves have so much more than the have-nots,” he said, and extreme excess and consumerism have taken a toll not only on humanity but also plants and animals.

“And so my entire intention is to speak to those who have means to say, ‘Look, there’s so many people that don’t have their basic needs met; we can come together; we can share our resources,’” he continued. “We’re trying to fill the voids inside of ourselves through stuff, all of this stuff causing a substantial amount of destruction. So that is at the heart of my message.”

However, the fires in Los Angeles put an unexpected wrench in his plans.

“I’m not sure what to do yet,” he later told the Independent via email.

Greenfield said that he is currently in Ventura, “keeping my ears open to the situation and to the community.” Right now, he plans to start the walk on January 22 and arrive in Griffith Park in Los Angeles by January 26.

“A big part of the premise of this experiment was, ‘Can I own nothing and have no money, but give more to society than I receive?’” he said. “And I still believe that, no doubt, I could arrive in Los Angeles and do just that by being of service to people in need.”

Learn more about Greenfield, his walk, and his experiment here.