Barbecue
nachx, flickrOne of the best parts of cooking and dining alfresco is simply being outdoors and enjoying the surrounding natural beauty. But many things you're doing when prepping for a barbecue and while cooking -- from sending paper invites and overstocking food to using harsh chemicals and piling mounds of garbage -- might actually be harming the very environment you're enjoying. Click on the gallery tab to get 10 great tips on hosting a green barbecue.
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Green Grilling: Eco-Friendly Grilling

Eco-Centric

We'd all like to be a bit more earth-friendly, and there's no reason it can't start in your own backyard. These eco-smart tips might seem like minor changes, but they'll make all the difference in the world. Lend a hand, save the planet, and have fun while you're at it!

Green Grilling: Eco-Friendly Grilling

Cool Fuel

If you usually: Use charcoal briquettes and lighter fluid.

You could try: A gas grill, or hardwood lump charcoal started with a chimney device. This low-tech method gives off a LOT less CO2 and other chemicals, and it's a great use for old newspapers. Also, commercial charcoal briquettes are steeped with potentially cancer-causing chemicals, and burn at temperatures high enough to promote carcinogenic charring on food. Stick with natural hardwood lump charcoal that burns at lower temperatures.

Green Grilling: Eco-Friendly Grilling

Crowd Control

If you usually: Send out paper invites and/or tell people to just show up.

You could try: Sending out an online e-vite, and asking people to RSVP so you can get a head count and don't over buy. Figure out how many adults and kids you'll be feeding, and use this handy online guide to figure out your shopping list. You'll save cash while you're minimizing waste.

Green Grilling: Eco-Friendly Grilling

So Appealing

If you usually: Toss veggie peels, corn husks, etc. in the trash.

You could try: Composting them. It's easier than you think, it's great for your garden, and it's an easy way to get your kids involved in saving their planet. Visit epa.gov/compost or your community garden to learn how you can turn kitchen and yard scraps into earth-first fertilizer, while reducing the 24 percent of the bulk they'd make in the nation's landfills.

Green Grilling: Eco-Friendly Grilling

Can You Dig It?

If you usually: Buy pre-packaged, chemically treated vegetables.

You could try: Buying them loose, visiting a local farmers market or co-op, or growing your own. You could even use that compost you've been making! If you do go the pre-packaged route, gently scrub the outsides with a little bit of baking soda and water to remove any preservatives or pesticides. Visit localharvest.org to find out what's growing near you.

Green Grilling: Eco-Friendly Grilling

Deep Dish

If you usually: Use plastic utensils, and paper or plastic plates -- which then get tossed out and don't break down.

You could try: Using metal utensils and ceramic plates and taking your guests up on their offer to wash them in the sink. Also consider exploring various brands of bamboo and corn-based biodegradable utensils (we love Biocorp's offerings ) and recycled fiber paper plates like Chinet's Casuals.

Green Grilling: Eco-Friendly Grilling

What's Your Line?

If you usually: Use a disposable plastic tablecloth and paper napkins.

You could try: Using a cloth tablecloth, blanket or sheet, and cloth napkins or wash cloths. Toss them in the washer on the cold setting with the rest of the linens and an eco-friendly detergent, and line dry. It might be a little extra work, but you'll have the most stylish cook-out in town!

Green Grilling: Eco-Friendly Grilling

In The Drink

If you usually: Serve individual cans and bottles of juice, tea and soft drinks, and then throw out the containers.

You could try: Recycling any cans or bottles, making pitchers of drinks, or buying family-size bottles (which you then recycle). If you're toting a cooler, bring fruit juice ice cubes or frozen fruit to use as non-diluting drink chillers.

Green Grilling: Eco-Friendly Grilling

This Little Light of Mine

If you usually: Light the backyard with electric lights or tiki torches.

You could try: Using solar lights, lower-impact stearin candles, or bug-deterring soy wax candles. Less CO2 output now means more nights under the clear, starry skies for generations to come.

Green Grilling: Eco-Friendly Grilling

Clean Up Your Act

If you usually: Rely on harsh cleaners to scrub the grill, containers and utensils.

You could try: Scraping the grill while it's still hot so it's clean for next time. Pre-grilling, clean the grate with baking soda paste and a wire brush. A cleaner surface makes for safer, tastier food.

Green Grilling: Eco-Friendly Grilling