Activist shared yearlong foraging journey

Published 1:30 am Friday, July 10, 2026

Environmental activist Robin Greenfield spoke to about 50 people June 25 at The People’s House in Langley, where he discussed his yearlong effort to forage all of his food and medicine.

Greenfield’s presentation, “Foraging 100% of My Food for a Year,” was hosted by rePurpose. At the time of the event, he was on the 317th day of the yearlong project, an endeavor he said had taken seven years of preparation.

During the presentation, Greenfield shared stories from his journey and discussed the personal, environmental and social benefits of foraging. He encouraged attendees to view nature as a source of nourishment and connection rather than something to fear or exploit.

“When we realize that the Earth is our home, not our enemy, and that we don’t need to fear our many relatives, that’s true power!” Greenfield said.

The event also highlighted the connection between foraging and rePurpose’s mission of reducing waste. According to the organization, gathering food locally eliminates plastic packaging, reduces transportation-related emissions and produces compostable food scraps rather than landfill waste.

rePurpose noted that Island County’s Solid Waste Advisory Committee is updating the county’s Solid Waste Plan and that food scraps remain one of the largest components of the waste stream. The organization said reducing food waste and reliance on packaged foods can help decrease the amount of material sent to the Roosevelt Regional Landfill in Eastern Washington.

Attendee Kimi Hoover said she found the presentation both informative and inspiring.

“It was amazing,” Hoover said. “Thank you for bringing him to Langley.”

RePurpose thanked Greenfield, his team, volunteers and community members who attended and helped make the event possible.