Green Grill Guide

Make sure to set your recycling bins out where guests can use them.  Whether your barbecue is BYOB or self service, the soda cans, beer bottles and even juice boxes like Capri Sun can be recycled. Using this stacking recycling set saves you space and makes it easy for your guests to know exactly what recycling goes where without having to ask.

Many paper products are now made to be earth friendly.  The well-known Solo brand has products that include both renewable and compostable options. Renewable paper-ware is made from bamboo, sugar cane, wood, reed and other natural materials. Some will need to be purchased online but others like the Solo Bare brand can be found at many department stores like Target.   And these brands work just as well if not better than the ones that aren't biodegradeable or made from earth friendly materials. The food doesn't drip through the plate and forks aren't as likely to break while using them.

Use Sharpie Markers to write guests names on their cups eliminating waste and the Sharpie markers really hold up! Sharpies are available in a variety of colors so if you are celebrating a special event go ahead and get them in say, red and blue for the 4th of July. The one button push on some Sharpies means you don't lose the cap and makes it easier for your guest to use. Best of all, Sharpie Markers don't rub off of most cups, they dry quickly and you can find so many other uses for them.

Choosing eco-friendly Forest Stewardship Council certified charcoals ensures that no trees from endangered woodlands were cut to produce the charcoal for your barbecue.  Look for Cowboy Charcoal to reduce greenhouse gases that are emitted when your charcoal burns, eliminate unhealthy additives in your food and petroleum aftertaste.  Fewer ashes makes clean up easier too.

Most importantly, try using an eco-friendly grill.  Consider using an all in one smoker/grill so you can do all the jobs you need to do with one piece of equipment. This means you have less equipment to get rid of too when you switch over to a new or improved grill. There are several to choose from but many find the Big Green Egg Grill to be THE grill to use for both grilling and smoking. But many find that grill to be a little out of their price range.  For the weekend griller, Brinkman All in One Grills/Smokers are inexpensive, easy to use, and lightweight so you can take them camping or to the park, and effective at both grilling and smoking meats as well as grilling vegetables.  However, some of the Brinkman's are a little on the small side so it could be harder to cook for large crowds.

Your green grilling or BBQ party clean up can be fast, easy, effective and even eco-friendly with these products.

• Start with Seventh Generation 33 gallon trash bags. They are strong enough to keep all the trash in the bag and green enough to break down in a landfill.  
• Wash dishes using Greenworks Natural Dishwashing Liquid. It cuts through tough grease, doesn't contain harmful chemicals, and smells great!
• For the rest of the dishes fill your Whirlpool Dishwasher all the way before you run it. Not only does it function better, but with it's Energy Star rating and energy efficient settings it quietly washes your dishes using either normal, heavy or even delicate settings as well as allows you to turn off the heated dry saving even more energy. 

The party is over, the clean up is done and everyone had a great time.  Who knew that going green while grilling could be so much fun - and easy!