We do not see nature with our eyes, but with our understandings and our hearts. – William Hazlitt

We can already teach important life lessons to our kids at a very young age, such as showing respect to people, saying thank you, taking care of mother nature, and even recycling.

Kids enjoy these types of lessons because they are interested in nature and are also hungry for facts, just like Ryan Hickman, who started recycling at three years old.

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Ryan is now 11 years old, and guess what? He’s still busy saving the environment with his own company! This young man knows his goals and dreams.

It all began in 2012; Ryan and his father went to a recycling center where his father cashed in a few bags of bottles and cans. Little Ryan was curious about how recycling works, so his father tried his best to explain it.

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“He likes to sort pretty much anything, and he liked putting the bottles in the machine,” Damion Hickman, shared. “He probably got two or three bucks, and he was so excited about it. And of course then he got to sort his change, so that meant more sorting.”

Any child would be excited to have their very own project, and along with Ryan’s supportive parents, his recycling project began.

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The next day, the little boy asked his parents if he could start handing out empty trash bags to all their friends and neighbors. His parents were surprised with their son’s plans. Ryan wanted these people also to practice recycling.

As it turned out, the family’s friends, neighbors, and co-workers all saved their recyclables.

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“I like recycling because it’s really fun and I love saving the environment and saving animals so they don’t get sick and die,” Ryan said in an interview with Points of Light.

Ryan’s dream, hobby, and passion didn’t stop there. Today, this eleven-year-old boy caters to many customers across Orange County, California.

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He uses his free time to collect cans and bottles from customers with the help of his parents and grandparents as they drive the boy around and assist him with his schedule, lifting heavy things, and even managing his website and social media accounts.

His efforts may look small for some, but the difference that it makes is enormous. Some people may think that all their actions won’t mean a thing if it’s not grand, but they are wrong.

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While it’s correct that our world is filled with trash and that it would take years for us to clean it, small acts like Ryan’s recycling give us hope and inspiration.

If a young boy can do this and influence the adults around him, why can’t we do the same?

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When asked what motivates him to continue with this cause, he simply answers:

“What keeps me motivated to keep recycling is just getting letters and emails from all over the world telling me thanks and keep up the recycling.”

Ryan has already been featured in many magazines, and he was even featured on The Ellen Show.

True enough, even with his young age, this young man has inspired so many people. That’s why he deserves this 2017 CNN Young Wonder award, as well as a 2017 Citizen of the Year awardee in his hometown.

He still has more awards to mention, but what’s impressive is that he always stays true to his goal – to save the environment.

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We actually might learn a thing or two from this young boy.

Don’t forget to follow his social media accounts to help.

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Source: ryans_recycling, ryansrecycling, mypositiveoutlooks, pointsoflight