Although we don’t have a barbecue of our own, we were able to do a semi-green sort-of barbecue with a smoker up at a family’s cottage. The smoker ran on a small amount of wood chips, some matches and some water, and gosh did we ever cook delicious things! Some of the best were a smoked salmon and three ducks for my partners birthday. Yum!
Some other tips I found after doing some internet searching (that I will be sure to use next summer):
Which charcoal is least damaging to the environment?
The Rainforest Alliance Smartwood program has certified Char-Broil products, including their mesquite and hickory wood chips. These are the only environmentally certified grill products that we are aware of.
If we’re using a charcoal grill, should we just let the charcoals burn themselves out, or should we actively put them out?
After cooking, it’s best to douse the cooled coals with water to prevent a fire risk and make sure they are completely extinguished.
What should we do with old charcoal/ash?
Wood ash can be used in your garden as a fertilizer, but it’s very alkaline and should be applied with care; it can be good for neutralizing overly acid soils. (Check out info on using wood ash in the yard.) Charcoal ash can contain trace elements harmful to plants and should be disposed of in the garbage.
What is lighter fluid, anyway?
Lighter fluid is a foul-smelling petroleum distillate. If you’re using charcoal, you can use a chimney starter to avoid the unfortunate taste that self-lighting briquettes impart, as well as the volatile organic compounds emitted by burning lighter fluid. This simple device consists of a small cylinder that uses lit newspaper to start coals. (See info on chimney starters.)
Is it true that grilling a hot dog turns it carcinogenic?
Here’s a not-so-tasty mouthful: 2-Amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (or MeIQ). It is a possible human carcinogen that may be contained in cooked meat, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. But of much more immediate concern is the threat from bacteria, such as E. coli, salmonella, and campylobacter, found in undercooked ground beef and poultry. Listeria in deli meats, such as hot dogs, is a particular concern for pregnant women, since it can cause miscarriage.
(http://grist.org/article/greenguide-grilling/)