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As the coals heat up your BBQ this summer, are they heating up the planet too?

06.28.2006

Submitted by idealbite on Wed, 06/28/2006 - 5:00pm.
The Bite:
First, we encouraged all you grill jockeys to add soy dogs to this summer’s BBQ menu. Then we told all you red-meat-eaters to go for bison. Now it’s time to talk about the barbie itself: both you and the planet stand to benefit from gas barbecues, not charcoal or electric.
The Benefits: 
  • Although gas won’t add much flavor to your veggie or beer brats, it also won’t add as much CO2 to the air. Gas barbecues produce about half as much CO2 as charcoal grills, and about 1/3 as much as electric grills.
  • Purists: if you’re gonna go with charcoal, support good resource management by looking for sustainably-farmed coals or chips certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.
  • Charcoal grills emit volatile organic compounds through smoke, and so does lighter fluid. Using a gas grill, you’ll avoid the liver, kidney and nervous system risks associated with VOCs.
Personally Speaking: 
Heather uses her tiny propane camping grill most nights during the summer, and although Jen has no interest in anything that resembles cooking, she happily BYOVBs to cookouts.
Wanna Try: 

Cocktail Fact

So much for campfires: 50% of all marshmallows eaten in the US have been toasted over a barbecue.

Bang For The Bite

If 10,000 Biters switched from charcoal to gas, each time they grilled they’d avert the same amount of CO2 as if an 18-wheeler was taken off the roads for a year and a half.

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