Barbeque Safely and Sustainably

Barbecuing is a popular summertime activity. It gives household across the country an opportunity to make tasty meals and share them with friends and family. Despite this, outdoor grilling comes with some safety risks and environmental impacts that can go beyond your backyard. Here are some tips to grill safely and more sustainably.

Safety tips

The U.S. Fire Administration offers the following tips for grilling safely:

• Only use your grill outside. Keep it at least 3 feet from siding, deck rails and eaves.
• Clean your grill after each use. This will remove grease that can start a fire.
• Open your gas grill before lighting.
• Keep a 3-foot safe zone around your grill. This will keep kids and pets safe.
• Place the coals from your grill in a metal can and cover with a lid once they have cooled.
• Keep an eye on your grill. Don't walk away from it once it's lit.

Greener grilling

There are a number of things you can do to make your backyard barbecue more environmentally friendly:

• Put as much food on the grill as possible. The more you cook at once, the more efficient you're going to be.
• If you use a charcoal grill, choose natural or organic charcoal and avoid using lighter fluid.
• For propane grills, minimize warm-up time and keep the lid closed as much as possible to cook more efficiently.
• Use washable dishes, utensils and cups. It may add to your cleanup time, but you avoid dumping disposable items into your local landfill.
• Choose grass-fed or free-range beef, chicken or pork.
• Grill or serve organic vegetables from your local farmer's market or food co-op.

With a little planning and forethought, you can safely serve up outdoor meals with a side dish of sustainability.

You can shop for energy-efficient appliances and more on the I&M Marketplace. Many products, for both indoor and out, have instant discounts to help you save even more.

Return to newsletter