Grilling is a staple of summer afternoons and warm-weather holiday gatherings. The open flame has a way of making nearly any food taste better. Eco friendly living is about respecting nature, and nothing seems more natural than cooking with fire. Unfortunately, grilling itself just isn’t that green. Grills produce emissions and require precious natural resources as a fire source. That doesn’t mean that one should give up the practice altogether; there are definitely a few things you can do to make outdoor cooking a little more in line with eco friendly living practices.
The first of these concerns your fuel source. Propane is greener in terms of emissions. Plus, you can use the same tank over and over again without creating new waste after every cookout. However, charcoal enthusiasts love that smoky flavor and are probably not going to give it up easily. Eco friendly charcoal and wood chips do exist, but they may prove tough to find. Outdoor cooks who are unwilling to surrender the smoke can practice eco friendly living in other ways to make their barbeques at least a little easier on the environment.
The way you shop, and what you buy, impacts the planet, whether you’re cooking indoors or in the backyard. Summer is the season of the farmer’s market. The warm weather might make it easy to get your hands on high-quality produce from local farmers instead of distance-shipped grocery store fare. As a bonus, honestly grown food tends to taste better regardless of your heat source!
After the grill out, practice eco friendly living by cleaning up without the chemicals. Pure & Gentle provides eco friendly cleaners for the dishes as well as the patio area. A reusable grill scraper readies your grill for the next summer afternoon, and a little mild dish soap can help with any grease build-up. Above all, have fun and keep the planet in mind while you enjoy the nice weather and the fire-grilled food!
