From Guest Blogger Philip: Greener Grilling–Is There a Better Way to do Summer?

Summer celebrations are national events throughout the world, but while they may seem to be straightforward events, they’re filled with decisions. Whether it’s your grill or your garden furniture, there are always ways we can add to the fun while maintaining an environmentally friendly attitude.

The Best Type of Grill

The grill is the centerpiece of any summer party, but not every grill is equal in terms of its effect on the environment. Unfortunately, the problem doesn’t lie in either of the two places you might expect.

The Charcoal Grill

Some swear by the smoky taste of food cooked over charcoal, but a flavor isn’t all they release into the air. According to a study by the Oakridge National Laboratory, a charcoal grill that’s burning briquettes releases as much as 11 pounds of carbon into the atmosphere for every hour it’s burned.

It should be noted that those same briquettes can potentially bring its carbon footprint down to zero. If they’re made from waste like sawdust – which they are – that comes from well-managed timber lands, the trees that fell for their creation were replanted by new growth that would soak up the carbon and equalize the situation.

It should also be noted that this is only the case when it comes to eco-friendly briquette manufacturers like Wicked Good Charcoal, which works only with certified sustainable timber operations and abstains from the use of additives.

The Gas Grill

In that same amount of cooking time, a gas grill will release just 5.6 pounds of carbon into the air. Not only that, but many argue that it gives the food a cleaner taste than charcoal; however, one should never get in the middle of an argument over the taste produced by charcoal versus gas.

Not only are gas grills more immediately environmentally friendly over the course of a cooking hour, but they can also reduce the cooking time entirely. While a charcoal grill can take 15 minutes or more to be ready for cooking, a typical gas grill is ready in 10 minutes or less.

While gas grills are powered by non-renewable fossil fuels, they are technically better for the environment in the short term. In the long term, well, it doesn’t have much of an effect either way.

The Facts

Barbeque emissions account for just 0.0003 percent of the carbon footprint of the United States. While safe alternatives to the wood-burning cooking fires in regular use throughout the developing world could save millions of lives per year, the potential lethality of your summer BBQ depends almost entirely upon your cooking skills.

The Best Outdoor Tableware

The best way to make a difference is to look not at what your grill is putting into the air, but instead at the plates onto which you’re putting the food.

Use reusable plates. While disposable plates are easy to use and don’t require any washing, a package of 22 10-inch paper plates take up to 12 gallons of water to manufacture – the equivalent of a half-gallon of water per plate.

Not only do the paper pulping mills that produce these plates have the potential to contaminate waterways with the caustic chemicals they use, but they also can’t be recycled. The petroleum-wax based coating that’s used to prevent leaks also prevents biodegradation.

The Best Outdoor Furniture

The type of outdoor furniture you choose to use is a matter to be based almost entirely upon taste. High-quality Teak is a beautiful option, and its high oil content means it can resist many climatic extremes. While its original look can be preserved with wood stain or teak oil, many prefer the silvery grey finish it takes on with age.

White pine and cedar are other natural options for locations in which your outdoor furniture will have to endure extreme weather. Just as with Teak, though, you’ll have to treat them regularly to maintain their original condition.

Wicker is a popular and durable choice for outdoor furniture. Wicker is lightweight, so a set can easily be moved around or stored, and some of the best sets can match the comfort and quality of even the best indoor furniture.

Man-made sets offer other durable options. Aluminum is some of the strongest, making it some of the most weather-resistant outdoor furniture available. Wrought iron is another strong option, but it will rust to a deep red brown.

Plastic lumber and resin are both commonly used to make sets of imitation wood. If you’re in the market for the look of a wood that’s simply not practical for an outdoor set, furniture made from these durable materials can recreate the look you desire.

In the end, our summer celebrations should be like all aspects of our lives. It’s important to come together and celebrate, but it’s more important to maintain our vigilance when it comes to the materials we use for all sorts of purposes. Simple choices can make a world of difference, but changing the world takes time.