 How environmentally friendly
are barbecues?
Environmental awareness is at an all-time high, with more and more people making changes to their lifestyle in an effort to cut their energy usage and reduce carbon emissions.
In a series of BBQ.co.uk articles, we look at how you can enjoy an alfresco lifestyle while still taking care of the wider environment - with information on gas barbecues, food safety and using your patio heater responsibly.
Just how environmentally friendly is your gas barbecue?
The energy used by a gas barbecue is actually no more than that used by a domestic cooker, so dining al fresco costs no more energy than your usual evening meal.
The flame on a gas barbecue is instantaneous and completely controllable, so you only use heat when you actually need it – making sure that no extra energy is wasted before or after cooking. This is in contrast to charcoal barbecues, which expel extra energy in the extensive heating up and cooling down processes.
What's more, LPG is known to be extremely clean-burning - unlike charcoal which directly affects the air quality around it.
However, we are all conscious of the world around us, and there are extra steps we can take when barbecuing to further minimise our impact on the environment:
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 After an initial warm up period of around 3 to 4 minutes, turn your barbecue down to a lower setting.
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If your barbecue has a lid, keep it closed during cooking to preserve heat. This is a requirement of many recipes anyway. |
Grilling a solitary sausage on a family sized barbecue isn't the most energy efficient way to cook - spread food across the whole grate. |
When you have finished cooking, remember to turn the appliance off straight away. |
Related articles
Using alfresco appliances safely
Further information on how to enjoy an alfresco lifestyle while taking care of the wider environment.
Food safety tips
BBQ.co.uk offers some advice on keeping your barbecue food safe and healthy.
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