Flip Burgers with Mother Nature — Grill Green This Summer

(ARA) – Each spring, millions of grilling enthusiasts dust off the grill in anticipation of another fun-filled summer of backyard barbecues. But at what cost to the environment? According to Sierra magazine, the estimated 60 million barbecues held on the Fourth of July alone in the U.S. consume enough energy — in the forms of charcoal, lighter fluid, gas and electricity — to power 20,000 households for a year.

If this statistic has your grilling outlook going from sunny to overcast, don’t panic. It’s quite easy to minimize your environmental impact while grilling by taking a few simple steps that won’t diminish your grilling experience. Yes, you too can grill green, and these simple tips will help you get your grill on while keeping Mother Earth on your good side. After all, charcoal has been in use since the days of Henry Ford, but you’re not still driving a Model T, are you?

One of the biggest factors in grilling green is the fuel source used to grill. All grilling fuels use natural resources and emit pollutants into the environment, but some do so at a much greater cost than others. Charcoal grills and lighter fluid contribute more to ground-level ozone, which is produced when nitrogen oxides and volatile organic chemicals combine in hot weather conditions. In addition, charcoal produces more carbon monoxide and particulates than other grilling options.

Though gas grills offer one of the quickest ways to barbecue, the grills can be expensive to purchase, liquid propane gas is a non-renewable fossil fuel and many a barbecue have been put on hold due to empty propane tank syndrome. But charcoal and gas aren’t the only fuel sources to consider when grilling. Recent innovations in the industry have opened the door to a greener grilling experience.

One such innovation is the FlameDisk — a charcoal alternative made from solid ethanol, a renewable biofuel. Food grilled on the FlameDisk tastes just like it was grilled over charcoal, but using this eco-friendly grill fuel emits 99 percent less carbon monoxide and 91 percent fewer VOCs than grilling with charcoal. Plus the by-products created when ethanol is burned include only water and a modest amount of carbon dioxide.

And unlike lighter fluid and propane gas, the FlameDisk is not derived from non-renewable petroleum. Wood is another green grill fuel option, but like charcoal it burns dirty, producing tiny soot particles that pollute the air and can cause health problems. However, unlike charcoal, the ash from wood can be disposed of in your garden, and is a greener option when obtained from a sustainable source like hickory or mesquite.

Your selection of grilling accessories also determines how much impact your grilling experience has on the environment. Not only can using real plates and silverware add some class to your next cookout, you’ll be reducing your waste by steering clear of the paper and plastic. In addition, many highly biodegradable disposable options have recently become available on the market. If you’re wrapping food in aluminum foil, consider using 100 percent recycled aluminum. Cleanup can be both easy and green when you use natural cleaners, many of which you can make safely and affordably in your own kitchen using common ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice and water.

While charcoal reigned supreme in the days of Henry Ford, there’s no reason the modern day barbecue can’t save the earth one burger or tofu dog at a time. While no one expects you to cook your next turkey with a solar oven, it’s just good sense to consider grilling green as an eco-friendly barbecue option in the 21st century. While it might not be as green as switching over to a hybrid car, any reduction in your carbon footprint can make a difference over time. So move over charcoal, here comes something greener!

For more information on the FlameDisk and how you can grill green this summer, go to www.FlameDisk.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Is Your Home in Need of a Home Design Stimulus Plan?

(ARA) – These days bailouts are common, but not many Americans have considered it for their home design. Does lifeless and cluttered design leave your home in need of a makeover?

Lifestyle and design expert Susie Coelho is out to change all of that with a sweeping Home Design Stimulus Plan that offers immediate and effective relief for homeowners to boost their surroundings, both inside and out, without busting their budgets.  

“Homeowners have been clamoring for widespread reform both inside and outside of the home,” says Coelho, who has provided guidance and support to homeowners for years with her best-selling books and HGTV makeover shows Surprise Gardener and Outer Spaces. “This plan will refresh any home design.”

The five key components to Coelho’s Home Design Stimulus Plan are as follows:

1. Provide immediate relief to family and living rooms with the removal of excess furniture.  

Provide relief to living and family rooms that have been over-taxed by excess furniture and accessories. Space is the basis for contemporary design and this look can be achieved by trimming down. Stimulate and breathe new life into rooms by cutting back on anything that has become a liability instead of an asset. Remove that extra wing back chair, the torn ottoman, those pillows that swallow up the sofa, and maybe even that old carpet so that you can actually see some floor.  

2. Cutback on spending with the addition of only inexpensive or handmade decorative pieces.      

Fool guests by creating pieces of art for little or no money. Look for branches that can be put in a vase, a painting from a garage sale or flea market, a beautiful fabric piece, or even a great piece of wallpaper that can be framed. Find large pieces that make big statements. Light the art from the bottom with a small spotlight that can be tucked behind the piece. Let the art be the star of the room.  

3. Infuse natural light into the home for an immediate morale (and energy efficient) boost.      

Bring natural light into the home simply and affordably, and watch spirits increase as the energy bills decrease. Windows are a piece of art and can be used to showcase an outdoor tree or plant and create that seamless look between the indoors and the outdoors – but they must be clean. According to a recent survey, almost half of homeowners (48 percent) would rather clean the toilet or shower than their outdoor windows. For many that may be because of the time and effort that goes into the chore, but it can be simple and the results can be dramatic. I recommend using a new quick, easy and affordable solution for a streak-free shine in half the time – the Windex Outdoor All-in-One Glass Cleaning Tool.

4. Give outdoor areas some incentives by taking the best of interior design outside.

Bring change to your home by styling the outdoor spaces using simple indoor techniques. Add an outdoor rug to soften the patio floor; bring in a side table as a focal point or even an outdoor leather ottoman. Elevate the planter to the status it merits by placing it on a table instead of the ground. Add some decorative pillows to make the outdoor furniture more inviting. If in the market for furniture, choose those pieces that have the flexibility to be used either indoors or out.

5. Bailout your backyard!

No backyard challenge is insurmountable with these helpful hints for bringing quick relief to the outdoor areas. No place to plant? Go vertical in your garden with trellises, walls, arbors and planters. Use ivy, ficas, bougainvillea, night blooming jasmine, gardenias, and other fragrant species to stimulate the senses. Small spaces? Give the illusion of space by using a mirror to reflect and open up areas, adding an entirely new dimension.

With these easy tips, the indoor and outdoor spaces will look fabulous in no time. Next on the to-do list: find an excuse for a party to show off the beautifully refreshed home.

Courtesy of ARAcontent