Press "Enter" to skip to content

Doing His Part: This Man Even Recycles Regular Trash

Get ready to meet a true eco-warrior.

If you’re like most people, you probably recycle a few items, like glass, plastic, and paper. That’s not a bad start, but Providence, RI native Matthew Tomlinson shows just how much more we could all be doing to help out the planet: He throws all of his trash in his apartment building’s recycling bin.

Take note, because this is one guy who is doing it right.

Whether he’s recycling expired eggs, Styrofoam packaging, a broken DVD player, aluminum cans, a couch cushion he spilled wine on, AA batteries, or his 1-year-old son’s used diapers, the list of ways Matthew helps the environment goes on and on. The best part is that he’s been doing this for years, and he shows no signs of slowing down his crusade to combat waste.

If you ask Matthew why he’s taking a stand for Mother Nature, he refuses to brag or accept credit. He’ll humbly make excuses, like, “The recycling bin is closer to the door,” rather than admit to being a hero. No matter how selfless Matthew is, it doesn’t stop him from being a conservation role model for the rest of us to follow.

Of course, few people can commit to recycling all their trash the way Matthew does. It’s a major lifestyle change that many of us simply aren’t ready for. But you can still help out a little by recycling something extra every now and then. Here are a few easy suggestions to make your life a little greener and more like Matthew’s:

Throw out a chicken carcass along with your paper and plastic.

Put your recycling bin under any leaky pipe in your home.

Help reduce plastic by recycling aerosol cans and used motor oil in the same bag.

This planet is the only home we’ve got, so let’s take good care of it. If we can all be as environmentally friendly as Matthew, we could leave a much better world to our children. That’s a huge eco-win!