Diet Pepsi vs. Iced Tea

I love iced tea; but for years my diet Pepsi addiction has caused me to neglect it. I drove my frugal self to Costco to buy the 36-packs, only to find that the more I had on hand the more I would consume. And every time I went out to lunch and ordered iced tea, I felt so well indulged. But at home and work I grabbed that aluminum can instead of brewing a pitcher.
This summer I decided to reverse that trend. Why?

First, it's a little embarrassing to be seen with a can of soda always in hand when everyone knows that healthy food is your passion. They see the contradiction right off. And what can I say, except nobody's perfect ? (and I never did aspire to be Greener than Thou, thank Gosh)

More importantly, I had an niggling fear about the long term effects on my health. The phosphoric acid in colas is hard on the body's calcium supply; and with osteoporosis in my family, I need to take calcium, not give it away. Also, what about drinking from aluminum everyday? Don't those cans get heated in the trucks, just like the cookware we don't use anymore for fear of Alzheimer's? I can't find a credible answer on that issue; but I love my brain and want it work well even after my teeth are nubs and my bones are brittle.

So I did what I often prescribe to others who would go green - made it easier to do the right thing than the wrong thing. I stopped stocking sodas at home or work, and started making iced tea in the morning, to drink with lunch and an afternoon snack (I could make it later in the day, if I bring in some decaf bags). I have really enjoyed a tall, icy cup on demand; and the switch has also plugged a small leak in my wallet. (A couple bucks on tea bags will see me through a whole month.) Only once in the last month have I felt an overwhelming urge to find a vending machine and blow a dollar on 12 ounces of carbonated, flavored water. And you know what? It wasn't all that.