Photo: courtesy Pizza Fusion

At first, Pizza Fusion seems like a regular pizza joint. When I walk in and order my pie, a chef named J-Mo says he'll bring it right out. Only when he slides the bamboo peel across the counter made from reused soda-bottle chunks does my visit start to seem a bit unique. My entree, a pesto-and-walnut pizza, wasn't thawed out and "assembled." J-Mo himself kneaded the multigrain dough from scratch that morning, slathered on the locally grown, organic basil pesto, and sprinkled chopped nuts on top of the cheese. Pizza Fusion is a nationwide chain dedicated to saving the environment, one slice of pizza at a time. It uses food to build relationships among people, their fuel and the Earth.

Everything Pizza Fusion does — from deliveries in company-owned hybrid cars to restrooms stocked with post-consumer recycled toilet tissue — helps create demand for Earth-friendly products and teaches customers about the enjoyable aspects of sustainable habits. As the pizzeria integrates into the local economy, it also adheres to the lifestyles of its regulars and leads the way for conscious eaters everywhere.