NEED TO KNOW
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Robin Greenfield uses a compost toilet instead of traditional plumbing in his tiny home
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He says he lives on less than $11,000 a year with no rent or typical monthly bills
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Greenfield relies on skills, community and resourcefulness instead of traditional income
For many viewers, the most surprising part of Robin Greenfield’s tiny home life wasn’t the freezing Wisconsin temperatures — it was everything else that came with it.
After sharing his off-grid routine online, curiosity quickly shifted beyond how he stays warm to the deeper realities of how he lives day to day. “I do share this lifestyle with millions of people,” Greenfield tells PEOPLE, describing a life rooted more in community and purpose than traditional structure.
Those questions often center on the practical details most people rarely think twice about. From where he goes to the bathroom to how he pays for daily needs, Greenfield has intentionally built a lifestyle that looks very different from the norm.
That mindset becomes especially clear in one of the most talked-about parts of his routine: his bathroom setup. Rather than relying on plumbing, he uses a compost system designed to return waste back to the earth.
“It’s basically a wooden box with a toilet lid on top and then a five-gallon bucket underneath,” Greenfield tells PEOPLE of his compost toilet.
Instead of flushing, he adds a scoop of sawdust after each use and later transfers the contents into a compost pile, where it safely breaks down over time. The process, he explains, turns what would typically be waste into a resource that can nourish the land.
Robin Greenfield foraging
Credit: Robin Greenfield/ sierraford.com
Even during the harsh winter months, the routine remains part of his daily life. “It is chilly on the bare cheeks,” he says, noting that while uncomfortable at times, it’s a small trade-off for a system he believes in.
His finances are just as unconventional as his bathroom setup. Rather than building his life around income, Greenfield has focused on reducing his need for money altogether.
“I don’t have bills anymore because I just don’t need nearly as much stuff,” Greenfield tells PEOPLE, explaining that his needs are largely met through skills, relationships and resourcefulness.
He says he has lived on less than $11,000 a year for over a decade, placing him well below the federal poverty level, which, according to Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services, is about $15,960 annually for one person. With about $2,000 currently to his name and minimal material possessions, his financial life is intentionally scaled back.
Many of his biggest expenses — including rent and groceries — are eliminated entirely. He does not pay for housing and, during his current experiment, forages 100 percent of his food and medicine.
Without costs like car ownership, housing or daily consumption, he estimates the difference can add up to tens of thousands of dollars in savings each year. Still, he notes that his lifestyle isn’t about saving money as much as rethinking how needs are met.
His version of off-grid living is not entirely disconnected. While his tiny home itself has no electricity, he uses power from a nearby house on the property when necessary.
“I have a computer… that’s what I use for email and meetings,” he says, explaining that this setup allows him to stay connected while spending much of his time offline.
Some modern tools remain part of his routine by design. A freezer, dehydrator and other equipment help him process and store food more efficiently, especially during his yearlong foraging effort.
“If I was to live a life where I used no modern conveniences… that would mean dedicating far more of my time to just meeting my daily basic needs,” Greenfield says.
Robin Greenfield’s toilet
Credit: Robin Greenfield/ sierraford.com
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Even with that balance, there are moments when he feels the pull of a more convenient lifestyle. The biggest thing he sometimes misses, he says, is simply having more time.
“When life is just so busy… I could use that extra time,” he explains, though he adds that returning to a more consumer-driven way of living would not give him the fulfillment he’s found.
Instead, he remains deeply committed to continuing down this path. While the specifics of his lifestyle may evolve, he says the core philosophy behind it is here to stay.
“I’ve made an absolute lifetime commitment to living simply,” Greenfield says, adding that he intends to go “deeper and deeper down this path” in the years ahead.
Read the original article on People