Isabelle De Abreu

Wow! This is a great question.

I can illustrate with this response. If I answer an open-ended question with the basics, I may use a lot of words to get across a simple meaning. However, if I'm being creative, my response can be a short and sweet one-liner that's seemingly simple and gets my pint across. (Working on that hahaha)

It's necessary when attempting to be simple because sometimes you can end up just being repetitive or redundant when you don't practice using your creativity, and things can get confusing. Imagine explaining a game to a group before you all play: a game that works with a small group may not work with a large group. In a large group, you can only get so much - the simpler, the better. But the game is no less fun because the directions are simplified or changed overall - being creative just means being on your feet and ready to adjust effectively and efficiently in order to avoid chaos. I think creativity in essence is original and uncomplicated in nature. It's so complex, it's simple - simplex! Kind of like this answer. Hahahaha

My grandma taught me that God created every part of every food with a purpose and specific design, and therefore nothing is wasted. With her grandmother, my great-great grandmother, holding onto native Amazonian customs despite living among those considered to be civilized, my family was raised being used to using everything they had on hand. This included roots, leaves, skins, and peels in soups and broths, teas and medicines. The concept of food being trash or "wasted" was foreign. So I grew up with this mentality from my parents as well, and the ever-increasing food waste rate is alarming to me. I think it all begins with gratitude for what you have and consciousness of its meaning.

Whatever you feel like you really can't or wouldn't like to use, you can compost and add to your garden. If you don't compost, mostly every town has a composting facility that will take your leftover roots, leaves, peels, and parts of your food you don't like that you can collect in a Tupperware for the week. When you start to think like this, you learn to spend less money and to value food more.

Some helpful info on how to start :) https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/stem-to-root-gardening.htm 

It wasn’t as hard to choose other activities as it was sticking with them - it’s tempting to check your screen every once in a while because it’s become such a routine thing! 

I think it’s healthy to spend less than an hour on a screen at a day. As part of the challenge, I shut off my notifications and only have my ringer on for phone calls. I like being away from the phone, but I do like using it at the same time, so I really had to be proactive for this -  I’m down!

Definitely by actively keeping track of what I already have in order to consciously buy only what I need. Also, by avoiding spending too much time in tempting stores like Home Goods and Target LOL

One step I think would be a little more challenging but definitely beneficial would be looking into gray-water recycling for my home! 

For anyone reading who may not be familiar with this, I just learned gray-water recycling is a process that takes dishwasher water and cleanses it to then be reused for irrigation directly from your dishwasher - so all that water goes to waste! I had no idea a dishwasher uses up to 50 gallons per cycle. Such a way to save.

Although at first glance, I look like the commonly-believed image of an "American", I know America is a melting pot of many different cultures, including my own Brazilian background. 

Businesses owned by immigrants especially can account for what a great percentage of the city's inhabitants provide service to them, thus contributing to the taxes paid by the business owners which help the city's affairs and wellbeing. I know that a large percentage of Hispanic people are grateful for Hispanic products and markets in Perth Amboy, Brazilians are grateful for Brazilian products and markets in Long Branch, and Indians are grateful for Indian products and markets in Edison - this is demographically evident. These economies are a piece of home and people invest in this when they are far from home usually seeking what most humans are: a better life. I believe people who pay their debt to society, despite not particularly yet belonging to that society, justifiably deserve to see the work of their hands rewarded and do not desire to be inimical to their governments, rather wishing to work with them in solidarity with the law on an individual basis wherever possible.