GreenYour.com

Drenching charcoal in lighter fluid or using self-lighting pre-soaked charcoal not only harms the environment, but isn't so good for you either. Starting your barbecue using an electric or chimney charcoal starter allows you to get that great char-broiled flavor without contributing to ground-level ozone or exposing yourself and others to potential carcinogens.

How to use an electric charcoal starter

Most electric starters are designed with a coil-like heating element attached to a plastic handle that plugs into a nearby electrical outlet or extension cord.

• Place the heating element on your grill’s grate and pile charcoal on top.
• Plug in the electric starter and heat for about 10-15 minutes.
• Once the coals in contact with the starter are ignited, unplug and remove. Let it cool on a heat-proof surface away from kids and pets.
• Before grilling, allow the rest of the charcoal to continue heating for another 15 minutes or until gray ash forms on most of the coals.

How to light a chimney starter

Most charcoal chimney starters—a metal cylinder loaded with charcoal and ignited from below using newspaper—are wide steel contraptions, measuring 12-18 inches high, with air vents around the bottom. Inside, about three inches above the bottom, is a mesh-like grate that holds the charcoal (or wood).

• Turn the chimney over and tuck crumpled newspaper into the space at the bottom beneath the grate.
• Turn upright and load charcoal—or wood—into the chimney.
• Ignite the newspaper through the air-vent holes with a match or lighter. Be sure to light it on a safe surface, such as on top of your grill’s grate or on fire-safe bricks. The flames, which are fanned by air flowing in through the vents, burn up through holes in the grate and ignite the bottom charcoals. Heat is then pulled up via the “chimney effect” to ignite the top coals.
• Once coals are burning well (about 15-25 minutes depending on how much charcoal was loaded in, the wind conditions and the type of charcoal used) pour them into the grill or remove them with tongs. You’ll know they are ready when flames begin licking the coals at the top of the chimney and gray ash has formed on some coals.
• Use heat-resistant gloves when handling the hot chimney. Most chimney starters also have an insulated handle to help with pouring and transport.

Find it! Chimney and electric charcoal starters

Most chimney and electric charcoal starters are inexpensive (under $30) and can be found at hardware stores, home & garden stores, and online. Popular brands include:

Buying an electric or chimney charcoal starter helps you go green because…

• They eliminate the need for lighter fluid or pre-soaked charcoal. Lighter fluid is made from harmful petroleum distillates (a nonrenewable resource) that emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) when they evaporate or burn. VOCs contribute to the formation of unhealthy ground-level ozone when they and other air pollutants interact with the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
• They prevent the deposit of potential cancer-causing chemical residues on food that occurs when lighter fluid or pre-soaked charcoal is used to grill.
• They cut the number of hazardous and flammable materials (such as lighter fluid) stored in your home.

More than 80 percent of US households own a barbecue grill, and a majority cook out all year. Peak use occurs during the summer months when 47 percent fire up an average of one to two times a week.[1] With millions of grills smoking at once, the eco-impacts are significant. On the Fourth of July alone, an estimated 60 million cookouts gobble up enough energy via charcoal, gas, electricity, and lighter fluid to keep a small city (20,000 homes) powered for a year. They also consume the equivalent of 2,300 acres of forest and release 225,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.[2][3]

Despite the fact that charcoal (and wood) burn "dirtier" than gas or electric grills (unleashing hydrocarbons as well as health-harming soot particles into the air), many people prefer the charbroiled flavor they impart. One way to cut the environmental impact of charcoal and wood grilling is to forgo lighter fluid, which emits VOCs that contribute to unhealthy ground-level ozone. The estimated 46,000 tons of lighter fluid used to fire up coals each year in the US release about 14,500 tons of VOCs.[4]

Related health issues

Ground-level ozone narrows air passages in the lungs and can cause annoying symptoms including watery eyes, wheezing, and coughing. It can affect anyone, but those most at risk are people with heart and lung disease, those with respiratory problems, pregnant women, children under 15 whose lungs are still developing, athletes, older people, and outside workers.[5]

Lighter fluid and self-lighting charcoal, derived from petroleum distillates, also leave toxic-chemical residues on grilled food. Additionally, some petroleum distillates contain benzene, a potential cancer-causing agent.

Glossary

• volatile organic compounds (VOCs): Organic solvents that easily evaporate into the air. VOCs are emitted by thousands of products, including paints, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, and may cause immediate and long-term health problems. VOCs are also considered a possible carcinogen, and can create ground-level ozone, the main component of smog.

External links

• Tennessee Valley Authority - Safe Substitutes at Home: Non-Toxic Household Products