Which Is Greener—Gas or Charcoal?
Many green-thinking grillers wonder which fuel source is better for the Earth. You might think that charcoal would be greener. After all, charcoal—which is essentially superheated wood—counts as a natural biofuel, whereas propane is a byproduct from natural gas refining.
But propane grills heat food a lot more efficiently than charcoal, which means they consume less fuel every time you turn them on. And there’s no waiting for the coals to burn down with a propane grill; you simply shut it off and it’s no longer emitting chemicals. Adding to charcoal’s poor environmental performance is that fact that the majority of charcoal briquettes are produced from harvested green wood. This means that the world’s forests must make the ultimate sacrifice so you can enjoy that burger.
If you’re like most Americans, though, you probably prefer the way charcoal grilling feels and tastes. So if you’re determined to stick with briquettes, you can still avoid some of the deforestation issues by choosing green charcoal made from sustainable coconut husks. However, if you’re trying to decide between propane and charcoal, you’re better off with the gas — at least environmentally-speaking!
