Apparently today is National Pizza Party Day, and since I’m never one to argue with a pizza, here are some tips to make your pizza party sustainable. I’d start by steering clear of pizza-making vending machines.

1.  Make Your Own Pizza

What better way to celebrate National Pizza Party Day in sustainable style than by making your own pie using local toppings.  I recently received the wonderful gift of a pizza stone, which creates a crispy crust and cooks the pizza evenly.  I highly recommend getting one; they’re great for cookies and other baked goodies, too.  I’ve been buying pre-made dough, which is totally acceptable and handy if you’re short on time.  One of these days I want to make it from scratch, perhaps Pizza Party Day is just the time.  Here is a straight forward video that shows you how to make your own dough.  To help you find some tasty local toppings check out the Eat Well Guide, an amazing resource for locating sustainable farms, markets and shops.

2.  Order an Eco-friendly Pizza

Pizza Fusion is a sustainable pizzeria chain that uses local organic ingredients, compostable packaging, wind powered stores, and hybrid delivery cars.  All of the shops are built to LEED standards using sustainable materials, and employees that work at least 20 hours a week receive health care.  Now there’s a pie I can stand by!

3.  Learn the History of Pizza from Sustainable Table

The history of pizza stretches far and wide (just like some well made dough), so no wonder people are so passionate about the  many different versions of pizza.  Pizza picks up the local flare wherever it goes, some even say the water can effect the taste!  Check out Sustainable Table’s history of Pizza.

4.  Sustainable Pizza Packaging

The environmentally Concious Organization has developed the GreenBox, a pizza box made of 100% recycled material, that be broken down into convenient serving plates and a storage box for leftovers.  So, next time your at your local pizzeria ask them if they’ll start using the GreenBox.  Unfortunately, pizza boxes cannot be recycled because oil left on the cardboard ruins the recycling process.  If possible, you can remove the unsoiled portions of the box and recycle those.  As for the rest of the box, sadly you may have to trash it, unless your city says they can compost it.  So check it out!  Best solution? Make your own pizza!

5.  Great Pizza Moments in Film

A quality pizza party should probably include some movie watching, so take your pick from this top ten list of Great Pizza Moments in Film. None of the films listed have a particularly sustainable message, but you should definitely check out Food, Inc. to learn more about what happens behind the scenes of industrial food production.

Photo: Angelswings’ flickr photostream (creative commons)