Turns out a rack of ribs might not be the best way to go
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Now that we've pondered the green options for grills, let's move on to what you put on the grill (and eventually eat) at your barbeque: the food. While the word "barbeque" is often synonymous with sizzling steaks, racks upon racks of ribs, and piles of other meats, we recommend changing your barbeque routine a bit to help your party go a little greener. Here's how.
Reduce the amount of meat you serve.
The best way to improve your barbeque's footprint is to cut back on the amount of meat you serve. Producing meat like beef and pork is extremely resource intensive -- for example, it takes 1,916 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef, according to Waterfootprint.org -- even if it's local and organic, so while it's okay to build your barbeque around proteins, it should still be the smallest thing on your plate. Kelly has more advice about controlling meat portions.
Serve local, organic, humanely-raised meat.
For the meat that does make it on the menu, be sure that it came from close by, was fed a yummy, hormone-free, vegetarian diet, and hasn't been pumped full of antibiotics. For beef, for example, this means grass-fed cows raised in a pasture, not crammed into a feed lot. If fish is on your menu, be sure to consult a guide to making more sustainable seafood choices.
Round out your menu with lots of seasonal, local foods.
A visit to your local farmers' market, or a peek into your latest community supported agriculture co-op box is the best way to round out your menu; ingredients, veggies and herbs you'll find there will all be in season, and will come directly from your neck of the woods. And the good news is that lots of the things you'll find are perfect for the barbeque. My favorite: slice up some summer squash and zucchini, sweet onions and bell peppers, give 'em a quick bath in balsalmic vinegar and olive oil, a dash of salt and pepper, and toss 'em on your grill on medium heat for about three minutes per side; it makes a great barbeque side dish. And you can substitute almost anything that'll stand up to the heat of the grill.
Stay tuned for more tips on green barbeques, including what to serve your food on, and what to drink to wash it all down. Happy grilling!
Difficulty level: Easy to moderate
More grill-related reading on Planet Green and TreeHugger
Green Your Barbeque: Choosing Between Charcoal and Gas
Green Your Barbeque: Serve Green Drinks
Green Your Barbeque: Choose Green Serviceware
Tuck Into Local, Organic Meat
Make More Sustainable Seafood Choices
The Sierra Club's "P's and Q's of BBQ"
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