By David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding for Yahoo! Health

America has a drinking problem. No, not booze. I'm talking about soft drinks. According to the Beverage Marketing Corporation, the average American guzzles 44.7 gallons of the sweet stuff every year. Not sure what 44.7 gallons looks like? It's about what you'd need to fill a small kiddie pool.

But the truth is, you don't need me to tell you that soda isn't healthy. We all know that America’s drink of choice contributes to our country's ever-expanding obesity problem. But, as Rodale.com writer Leah Zerbe discovered, love handles are just the beginning. Read on for her report on three shocking soda facts that will have you saying “Just water, please” from now on.

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Last week, I Tumblr’ed upon a riveting infographic labeled The Making of a Designer Tee. The graphic focused on the markups of designer clothing. When I first saw the scale of these markups, I was in disbelief, even slightly enraged. But then a few of the comments helped level my head. The proponents' argument went something like this:

Markups exist in every business and industry out there. They exist so businesses can be businesses and turn a profit. Not to mention, so the people who do have a dog in this fight (designers, retailers etc.) can pay their bills, buy food and pay their employees. Maybe tees shouldn’t cost $15 because it generally means someone on the supply side isn’t getting paid fairly and perhaps even ethically.

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In honor of the new year, we've asked several FearLess contributors to share their thoughts on resolutions, New Year's or otherwise, and especially as they relate to helping others, living fearlessly and being your authentic self. They responded with wisdom, tenderness and compassion. Enjoy!

"Love Without Props"

I'd torn my rotator cuff and had the surgery to repair it and done the rehab. Compared to the knee surgeries I'd had, the rehab for my shoulder seemed, well, too easy. Small movements with what are basically big rubber bands. Some pain and no sweating involved. As a former college athlete, this just felt wrong.

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I love my iPhone. I love using it, holding it, looking at it. I get a little thrill every time I turn it on. But I don’t love the fact that both AT&T and Verizon have donated substantial sums to support the Tea Party. I wanted my money to do better. So this past weekend, I left my long-time wireless provider AT&T and switched to CREDO Mobile.

CREDO openly supports progressive nonprofits (you can view the list of this year’s recipients, selected with the help of CREDO members, on their website).They’re committed to protecting the environment and will even buy out your existing mobile contract. Easy decision, right? Except there’s just one problem - CREDO doesn’t offer iPhones.

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If you ask a random sample of advertising people what would make their lives more fulfilling, a good chunk of them will say the following: “I wish I had a more meaningful outlet for applying my creativity.” It’s a predictable answer, but a telling one, and an even more predictable side effect of a career devoted to consumerism.

But despite ad folk’s general commiseration over the shortage of meaning in our day to day lives, only a handful of us are actively devoting a portion of our creative guts to the general betterment of mankind. Lately I’ve been wondering about this, because with so much apparent interest in making the world a better place, the number of people really doing it doesn’t seem to add up. What’s holding us back?

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I recently spent four days on a mini-vacation at a lake house in South Carolina.  Since my restless mind isn't a proponent of completely shutting down and allowing me to relax unconditionally, I spent a considerable amount of time pondering how remarkably interconnected our society has become.

There's Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+ to interact and shepherd our friends, connections, and circles.  We have Twitter to entertain and impress followers with our deepest mirco-thoughts.  We have approximately a gazillion blogs where people can self-publish articles and receive comments from anonymous readers.

There are many positive outcomes that result from these online forums.  We regain contact with former classmates, share photos of our children with out-of-town family members, and broadcast information that leads to real, tangible change.

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Banks have a long-held tradition of frustrating their customers by charging hidden fees conveniently buried in 4-point font on the back page of a disclosure statement.  It's one of their key revenue streams.  And it's maddening to their customers.

Today, banks are scrambling to generate profits while navigating new government regulations that obstruct their traditional revenue streams.  But it appears they're on the verge of reeling in a big fish.  One that is forecasted to drive $1.7 billion in annual revenue by 2015.

That's because banks are selling your shopping data to merchants.

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Dear Mark Zuckerburg and employees of Facebook:

Facebook has incredible potential. I do not say this lightly. I am often critical of your company’s decisions, but I believe Facebook can and should become a transformational force for good in this world. But you are not there yet. Facebook’s attitudes toward information and user privacy are harmful and serve to undermine our autonomy. Up to now, Facebook has failed to create enduring, meaningful value in the lives of most users because you focus too much on information, too little on people. I challenge you to do better.

I challenge Facebook to open up possibilities, not preferences. Help us become more human, not simply more connected. And rather than dissolve our capacity for privacy, teach us to become stewards of our own information. I challenge Facebook to start mattering.

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Dear Humira:

My name is Gino Bona.  You don't know me, but you've played a prominent role in my life over the past five years.  That's why I'm writing to you.

My wife, Stephanie, was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis twelve years ago (I wrote all about it on FearLess).  The autoimmune disease caused joint inflammation, tendonitis, swelling, and her nails to pit.  My then-26-year-old wife suddenly felt like she was living in a 76-year-old woman's body.

After languishing several years on Vioxx and Plaquenil, Stephanie's rheumatologist prescribed her Humira in 2006.  That's how you and Stephanie met.

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In a recent interview, TOMS founderBlake Mycoskie proclaimed, "From this day forward, TOMS will no longer just be a shoe company, it will be a One-for-One company."

For those unfamiliar, TOMS shoes operates under a simple principle, for every pair of shoes you or I purchase, a pair will be given to a child in need. And with the success the company has seen, TOMS is now expanding into the world of eyewear, and attempting to prove that the 1-for-1 model can lead to both a profitable and philanthropic business.

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