Ryan Hickman realized at the age of three that he didn’t like seeing discarded bottles and cans on the ground, so he took action. Hickman began collecting his family’s recyclables and then went to the local recycling center with his father, where he received $5 for the haul. He was so inspired by that exercise that he began collecting his neighbors’ recyclables by going door-to-door on his bike with a bag attached. By seven years old, the Orange County, Calif., boy was running his own business, called Ryan’s Recycling Company.
Hickman, now 13, has been recognized by news organizations over the years, including CNN Kid Wonder in 2017, and has appeared on numerous national television shows, including “Ellen” and “Today,” to discuss his mission. On his website, he sells T-shirts that say, “Make the Sea Trash Free.” All of his merchandise and recycling profits are donated to the rescue organization Pacific Marine Mammal Center. Hickman has also founded Project 3R, whose mission is to educate and emphasize the importance of recycling to children and adults worldwide, as well as to organize and manage community clean-up efforts. “If a kid like me can make a difference, anyone can,” Hickman says. “When we all do our part, it adds up to make a big difference.” Thank you for assisting me in cleaning up our planet.” Ryan Hickman, who is only 11 years old, is a global icon for recycling awareness, having recycled over a million cans and bottles to inspire people all over the world and keep trash out of our oceans and landfills. You don’t have to be a certain age to be an entrepreneur, as this 7-year-old from California recently demonstrated. Ryan Hickman not only recycled over 200,000 bottles and cans, but he also earned $21000 (Rs 14,31,895) in the process. Ryan has also appeared in Time for Kids, and National Geographic, and has won numerous prestigious awards. His most notable honors include being named a CNN Young Wonder, one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Orange County, CA, and one of MSN’s top 10 kids changing the world.
