Congratulations! You’ve tackled practically everything that’s on your plate. If you’ve followed the “Take Action Now” steps and been greening your pantry along the way, you’re no doubt already reaping the rewards of leaner living. Great job.

Now that you’ve completed your eco-makeover on your pantry and fridge, we’ll also move from your plate to your glass to get you on the road to sipping more sustainably.

So sit back, relax, pour a glass of your favorite red wine (in Chapter 13 you’ll find out whether you should make it from California or France), a local microbrew—or a nonalcoholic drink if you do not consume alcohol—and savor for a moment what you have accomplished. As this next section gets you drinking responsibly for your health and the planet, you might as well be drinking deliciously while you read.

GET STARTED NOW: REAL SIMPLE SOLUTIONS TO START LOSING TODAY

  1. DRINK RESPONSIBLY: THE TWO W’S THAT SHOULD BE IN YOUR GLASS. Ditch all your bottled beverages, even the diet ones. Purified tap water, brewed coffee, and tea are your mainstay brews from now on for a cleaner, leaner, greener you from the inside out with zero calories and much fewer fossil fuel calories than their bottled brethren. If you can afford the extra calories, wine in moderation helps keep you super healthy and enriches your life in other ways, too.
  2. SUSTAINABLE SPLURGES: CHOCOLATE IS A SPLURGE THAT’S WORTH IT TO YOUR HEALTH AND TO THE PLANET. The key is to nibble this and other “green treats” the right way.