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Cindy Abramowitz's avatar

Cindy Abramowitz

Deloitte Austin Team

"conscious consumption as part of sustainability involves making informed and deliberate choices."

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 75 THIS WEEK
  • 584 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    70
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    560
    minutes
    spent outdoors
  • UP TO
    10
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    13
    pounds
    waste composted

Cindy's actions

Climate + Air

Consume only Needs vs Wants

The more stuff we consume, the more greenhouse gasses we put into the atmosphere. I will adopt a "Needs Vs. Wants" approach this month and only buy things I need.

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Land + Forests

Regenerative Agriculture and Me

Regenerative agriculture focuses on farming and ranching in a way that supports life and restores the soil. I will spend 30 minutes learning about regenerative agriculture and find out if any nearby farms practice regenerative agriculture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land + Forests

Compost Food Waste

Food in the landfill is one of the main sources of greenhouse gasses. I will avoid sending up to .69 lbs (.31 kg) of food waste to the landfill per day by composting my food.

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Land + Forests

30 for 30 in Nature

Studies have shown that when we spend consistent time in nature, our health improves, our creativity increases, and our connection to the planet gets stronger. Each day of the Ecochallenge, I will spend 30 minutes outside (in a large or small patch of nature), then share my observations, reflections, and learnings on the feed.

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Freshwater + Oceans

Smart Seafood Choices

We need to support healthy seafood populations. I will spend 30 minutes learning about sustainable seafood choices, commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean, and share what I learned on the feed.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Freshwater + Oceans

Low Water Gardening

Grass lawns are water-intensive and on average require about 30 percent of a household’s water consumption. Native plants are water-efficient and help maintain the balance and diversity of local ecosystems. I will plant native species with water-efficient plants to conserve water and improve the habitat, then post a photo on the feed to share.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Freshwater + Oceans

Dishwasher Efficiency

Hand washing dishes can use more energy and hot water than a dishwasher. To save water, I will use a dishwasher and scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading them into the dishwasher.

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Freshwater + Oceans

Use a Reusable Water Bottle

Itr's estimated over a billion water bottles are thrown away each year. Even if they were recycled, that still uses energy and resources from the earth. I will use a reusable bottle and stop purchasing bottled water, saving 1 disposable plastic bottle(s) a day.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Participant Feed

Reflection, encouragement, and relationship building are all important aspects of getting a new habit to stick.
Share thoughts, encourage others, and reinforce positive new habits on the Feed.

To get started, share “your why.” Why did you join the challenge and choose the actions you did?


  • Cindy Abramowitz's avatar
    Cindy Abramowitz 4/15/2024 8:26 AM
    I have enjoyed propagating native flowering plants the past few years. Does anyone have recommendations for edible plants that would be easy to grow from cuttings? Thank you.

    • Sarita Patankar's avatar
      Sarita Patankar 4/15/2024 12:01 PM
      Herbs like rosemary, sage, and peppermint or spearmint can be grown from cuttings

  • Cindy Abramowitz's avatar
    Cindy Abramowitz 4/10/2024 1:01 PM
    I'm trying my best, but I forgot to bring produce bags to the grocery store, so did the best I could at the time by bagging all my produce in one produce bag and then doing without bags for the other items.

    • Max Moncur's avatar
      Max Moncur 4/10/2024 1:23 PM
      Never thought to bring produce bags, that’s a great idea!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Land + Forests Regenerative Agriculture and Me
    What did you learn about the practice and benefits of regenerative agriculture? How can you support healthy farming practices for people and the planet?

    Cindy Abramowitz's avatar
    Cindy Abramowitz 4/05/2024 8:54 AM
    There is no one definition of regenerative agriculture. It can mean different things to different people, but generally it refers to a set of practices that restores soil and ecosystem health, addresses inequity, and leaves our land, waters, and climate in better shape for the future.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Freshwater + Oceans Smart Seafood Choices
    Many states and countries have advisories on eating fish. Find out what is advised for your region. Do you think your diet choices fall within these guidelines? What steps do you need to take to make sure that they do?

    Cindy Abramowitz's avatar
    Cindy Abramowitz 4/03/2024 3:29 PM
    This has been a great source of information: Seafood Watch. We also enjoy catching our own fish at some local bodies of water. Not only does it make us appreciate even more what we are eating, but it is also fun and educational for our family.

  • Cindy Abramowitz's avatar
    Cindy Abramowitz 4/02/2024 8:05 AM
    I enjoy doing this annual challenge as it pushes me to think about and reflect on the actions that I should take and am taking.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Freshwater + Oceans Low Water Gardening
    What are the most prominent water concerns in your area? Examples include drought, flooding, pollution, access, security, and privatization.

    Cindy Abramowitz's avatar
    Cindy Abramowitz 4/02/2024 8:03 AM
    In Central Texas, there are definitely concerns about drought, and as the population continues to increase in the area, the concern becomes increasingly urgent.

    • Lauren Ferguson's avatar
      Lauren Ferguson 4/05/2024 2:32 PM
      I share the same concerns about drought in Central Texas. Austin often has mandatory water-use restrictions. Changes need to be made to better conserve water in the city.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Climate + Air Consume only Needs vs Wants
    Consuming only what we need vs. what we want can be really hard to do. What has been challenging about committing to this action for a month? What have you learned about yourself? Will you change any habits going forward?

    Cindy Abramowitz's avatar
    Cindy Abramowitz 4/02/2024 8:01 AM
    I really don't need junk food, and as I work to consume only what I need versus what I want, this is one area that I can work on more.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Land + Forests 30 for 30 in Nature
    What have you noticed about how it feels to spend consistent time outside?

    Cindy Abramowitz's avatar
    Cindy Abramowitz 4/02/2024 7:59 AM
    It feels so refreshing and calming to spend time outside.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Land + Forests Compost Food Waste
    New to composting? Be sure to check out the action resource links to learn tips and more about it. As you transition from throwing food away to composting, what do you notice about how much you are tossing? How will you use your compost once it is ready?

    Cindy Abramowitz's avatar
    Cindy Abramowitz 4/02/2024 7:31 AM
    Composting is great. We compost all of our food waste and use it in our garden.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Freshwater + Oceans Use a Reusable Water Bottle
    What did you learn about the amount of plastic we consume and what actions will you take to reduce your use of plastic?

    Cindy Abramowitz's avatar
    Cindy Abramowitz 4/02/2024 7:30 AM
    There is a lot of plastic used for single use purposes, for example, individual yogurt containers. One way to reduce that use is to purchase in large containers and use from there.