Making Memories by Grilling Green

Backyard BBQs bring up happy, summery childhood memories for me. When my little toddler thinks back to her childhood, I am hoping she remembers “greener” or at least “light green” BBQs. If we’re doing our share, being “green” should come more naturally to her. Just think of the impact if everyone adds a little green to their grilling and then passes it on.

And speaking of impacts, I found it surprising that barbequing uses a lot of energy, especially when everyone barbeques at the same time. In fact, one article stated that about 60 billion barbeques happen on the Fourth of July, and they use enough energy to power 20,000 households. I don’t know if that’s accurate, but even if it is close, it’s worth looking at how to green up your BBQ. It turns out there are many ways to be green at the grill.

• The most obvious target is the grill itself. Try a cleaner-burning propane or electric grill for lower emissions. Better yet, if you have the time, you could try a solar cooker or sun oven. Natural gas is still better than charcoal grilling, and there are even ways to optimize with a charcoal grill.
• For those of you that already own a charcoal grill and aren’t ready to invest, look for lump brand charcoal made from invasive tree species or harvested from sustainably managed forests. Some people even use tree debris from their own backyard. Another bonus of this approach is avoiding exposure to the additives like coal dust that accompany regular briquettes. Cowboy charcoal is a great briquette alternative.
• Lighter fluid releases smog-forming Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs, so a better option for lighting briquettes is a chimney starter or an electric starter.
• But barbequing green starts before we even hit the grill. Send out electronic invites with RSVP requests, using something like Evite . Pay attention to the number of people who are attending to plan for the right amount of food.
• Buy local produce to save on your gas/emissions in getting the food and also the gas/emissions for transporting the food to that location. You can find a local farmers market or coop using www.localharvest.com . Choose organic, hormone-free, lean meat, but also look at providing vegetables and vege burgers which use a lot less energy to make and cook. You can even throw in a little fish and fruit.
• Reduce packaging waste by avoiding single servings and buying in bulk. Where packaging is necessary, look for recyclable and biodegradable packaging.
• Provide your guests with reusable dishware, silverware and cloth napkins. Also use cloth table covers. If that doesn’t work, buy biodegradable or recycled-paper dinnerware like Chinet Casuals.
• Choose locations that are located near public transportation and encourage people to ride it. Arrange for carpooling when that is not possible.
• Avoid electric lighting or tiki lamp emissions and set the mood with solar lighting or by using lower-impact stearin candles and/or bug-deterring soy candles.
• When cleaning up, send the leftovers home with people or donate them to a food bank if there are large quantities. Compost and recycle waste where possible.