Green up your ’cue

It’s almost summertime, which means barbecue season. Time to do a whole lot of cooking outdoors instead of heating up your kitchen unnecessarily. But how to do it in the most environmentally friendly way possible?

The Sierra Club offers a list of tips to do just that, including:

• Ditch the smoky charcoal grill in favor of a clean-burning propane or electric grill.

• If you stick with charcoal, buy “lump” charcoal instead of

briquettes, which may contain coal dust or other possibly harmful additives. When purchasing lump charcoal, look for brands that are made from invasive tree species or wood from sustainably managed forests.

• Use a chimney starter instead of lighter fluid, which releases air-polluting VOCs (volatile organic compounds).

Head to www.sierraclub.org to learn more about green barbecuing, camping and insect repelling.