A Smaller Footprint for a Larger Impact
From the food they eat to where they live, Trevor and Maddie Gordon are choosing to do more with less.
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Posted onDecember 20, 2021
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CategoryFarm + Table, Makers + Entrepreneurs, Sustainability
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Photographed byGrant Ellis
In a hyperconnected world where any type of meal and all manner of groceries can be delivered to your door with the push of a button, being mindful of the food you eat—and where it comes from—becomes harder and harder. Rather than give in to the allure of instant gratification, husband and wife team Trevor and Maddie Gordon have decided to live life a bit differently.

For the past six years, the two have been living a sustainable, environmentally conscious existence aboard their 36-foot sailboat, sourcing their own food and growing their own produce in a community garden. Trevor was raised in Santa Barbara, California and grew up surfing all along the California coast. As a brand ambassador and photographer for forward-thinking companies like Patagonia, Clif Bar and Teva, Gordon is used to a life outside, and his work reflects a deep connection to nature and the world around him. Maddie, his wife, is an illustrator from Sussex, England. Together the two created The Tiny Mess, a cookbook about people, places and small kitchens that proves constraints are nothing but an invitation for creativity.
In the latest episode of Soul Pursuits, activist and environmentalist Erika Gilsdorf drives her Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV down to the Santa Barbara Harbor to meet Trevor and Maddie and get a glimpse into their way of life. They visit their garden, journey out into the harbor for a fresh catch, then drive up to a bluff overlooking the city to prepare a meal in Erika’s tiny house kitchen.
You can watch the first episode of Soul Pursuits, featuring Help California cofounder Dylan Gordon, here.
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