Social media = word of mouth on steroids

In a recent GreenPeace blog entitled All Because of You, the 3 million member non-governmental organization celebrates the release of the Red Carpet Four, a group of activists who grabbed headline news around the globe by taking action during the Copenhagen climate summit on December 17th, 2009. "After you sent 15,000 messages in 24 hrs calling for #climateaction", reads their latest tweet, thanking followers for spreading their message of non-violent, planet preserving action.

If you know me personally, you've probably heard (or read) me speak on "taking action" recently. The truth is, 30 days ago I didn't believe in it like I do now. As technology would have it, the fact of the matter is we're living in a decade where anyone with a cell phone and something to care about can make their thumbs be heard. Notice I didn't say voice, because no longer is our direct reach limited to the 99 people in our contact list, but to potential thousands of like-minded, passionate thumbs on the receiving ends of our messages. To quote wine guru Gary Vaynerchuk, "word of mouth is on steroids". Everyone has a message. Our message spreads like wildfire. What are you putting out there?

To learn more about the Red Carpet Four, check out the video below. This is their story, so far.

Awww they like us! They really like us! Pizza Fusion - Best Green Retailing Practices 2009

We're so excited & we just can't hide it!

Ok I'll admit we're not trying too hard to hide it. Some would say that by posting a blog entry about it, we're doing the exact opposite of hiding it. I'll leave you with those thoughts while you read this write up penned by Barbara Farfan for About.com

With LEED certified retail stores, church pews as furniture, utensils made from potato starch, organic wine, and vegan brownies, and hybrid delivery vehicles, Pizza Fusion is a rising retail restaurant star proving in every way that it is sincerely committed to its motto of "Saving the Earth, One Pizza at a Time."

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The Hottest Decade Begins

2009 started with a bang. A new President, new promises, a new vision for America. Unfortunately that car ran out of gas somewhere between the bible belt & the rust belt. We're bidding adieu to 2009 & welcoming 2010 with roughly the same warm greeting usually reserved for in laws and the IRS. All is not doom and gloom though for 2009. We did substantially raise the level of conversation in this country about climate change, clean fuels and sustainable living and I look forward to seeing some of these plans come to fruition over the next year.

In the meantime climate change is a problem that is not going away. (No matter what memo you read that said otherwise) For anyone still questioning climate change you'll be happy to know this next decade will be a scorcher.

psst don't look know but 2000-20009 set a few red flags up too...

Yup, the aughts or naughts or naughties or whatever you want to call them have been confirmed to be the hottest decade in recorded history--a full 0.2 degrees C warmer than the nineties. And now, as Joe Romm puts it, "the hottest decade begins." So were do we stand?

Yes, barring a spate of supervolcano eruptions or some sort of galactic alien cooling beam directed at earth, the '10s are almost certainly going to be even hotter than the '00s. The trend, unfortunately, is continuing interrupted (the '90s were previously the hottest on record, with temps 0.14 degrees C warmer than the '80s) thanks in part to the near complete lack of carbon emissions reductions by the world's biggest polluters. Here's looking at you, USA and China.

It is a shame that we're ending this decade, in which awareness of climate change rose to an all time high, mired in global discord on how to mitigate the threat, without a binding agreement from Copenhagen, still stuck battling big coal and oil funded climate change skeptics who'd rather protect their interests in the status quo than help forge solutions to an incoming worldwide disaster, and without any meaningful legislation in the US addressing global warming.

2010 New Year's Resolutions

First and foremost, I would like to Thank each and every one of you for being a part of my dream come true.  THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for your love, loyalty and just being awesome customers, friends and co-workers.

2009 was here and gone with what seemed like the blink of an eye.  It was a whirlwind year for me personally, seeing Pizza Fusion grow to 20 stores and even open our first store internationally.  It's hard to believe that just over 3 1/2 years ago, Michael and I were banging nails and painting walls in our very first location in South Florida.  The ugly economic climate was filled with it's share of bumps and bruises but it is the kind of thing that can only make us all stronger. I am not really the type of person to reminisce about the "then" so I am very eager to get crackin' on 2010, or Twenny-Ten as I'm calling it.  So with that said... I am gonna plant some seeds for some awesome resolutions for 2010. Some may call them resolutions, I prefer to call them reminders on how to make the New Year a better one for you, your family and the planet:

• Boycott Chemical & GMO Foods - "EAT MORE ORGANIC" (the obvious one)


• Give Up Plastic (and paper) Bags


• REfuse - Just say NO to "stuff" like styrofoam cups


• Lose Weight - Eat more fresh organic veggies and fruits


• Green Your Cubicle - Spread the love and the message to the workplace!


• Get Involved! - Get out of the house and help any charity in your community


• Learn to Recycle Something New - It's all about learning!


• Stick to it! - Do more than make your list... cross every item off!


• Support Socially Responsible Businesses - Create the change you wish to see in the world!


• Simply make a personal promise to be better than you were last year.

Wishing you all a very safe and Happy New Year's Eve and a new year filled with love, abundance and prosperity!

~Vaughan

Rise Against Loves Pizza Fusion!

It's been a great musical month here at "The Mothership".  A couple of weeks ago we were excited to share some of our organic "Very Vegan"™ Pizza with Davey & Hunter from AFI while making a tour stop in Fort Lauderdale. (See the original post here).   Well this past week, we were extremely honored to get a wonderful plug from Joe Principe of Rise Against (one of my favorite punk bands) while doing a call-in on San Diego's 91X Morning Show with Mat Diablo. Rise Against was in San Diego as part of their current tour. Mat Diablo told Joe that he was going to get him socks and Pizza for Christmas and Joe (generously) said that he would specifically like a Vegan Pizza from Pizza Fusion. We're stoked that Joe digs our tasty organic vegan pizza and we're humbled by his shout-out!  And we have to give Mat and the 91X Morning Show crew a huge "THANKS" as well for their support.  I think we need to feed those cats more often! LOL! Happy Holidays to Joe & the guys from Rise Against and Mat and the folks over at the 91X Morning Show! And Joe... if you're "listening"... enjoy your first Christmas with your new addition!

Listen to Joe Principe from Rise Against on 91X Morning Show.
Joe From Rise Against Loves Pizza Fusion by Vaughan Lazar

You can listen to the Pizza Fusion mention at approximately 7:00 on the recording. And Joe, if you're listening, we have Pizza Fusion's in many cities on your tour!!! ... it's on me next time!