"Green" Grilling

It looks to be a beautiful summer weekend throughout much of Idaho--the perfect weather for a backyard barbecue or picnic.

Actually, across the country, some 60 million people will barbecue this summer. As Darci Palmquist points out on nature.org, this has considerable environmental consequences: These millions of BBQs release some 225,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, burn the equivalent of 2,300 acres of forest and consume the same amount of energy as the city of Flagstaff, Arizona, uses in a year.

But there are easy ways to make your grilling more green. Check out the The Nature Conservancy's ten tips for an eco-friendly barbecue.

So grill up some local, Idaho-produced food, grab an organic beverage and have a great summer weekend.--Matt Miller

Photo courtesy Alderspring Ranch, a grass-fed, organic beef ranch that works with the Conservancy on salmon conservation in Idaho's Pahsimeroi Valley.