Green Your Patio: Green Grills

With spring in the air, the outside of your home starts to look more appealing than the couch. With that in mind, this week's tips are about how to stay green when reacquainting with your patio.

Tip #1: Ditch the Charcoal

Barbecue purists will throw a fit, but it might be time to give up on grills that rely on wood or charcoal briquettes, which cough up a load of greenhouses gases and contribute to deforestation. Instead, consider greener options, like an Energy Star-certified gas grill to those that get their heat from corn, hydrogen, or the sun — the latter of which you can even make yourself. 

Tip #2: Use planter boxes.

Tip #3: Create shade.

Tip #4: Conserve water.

Tell us: How do you make your home's outdoor spaces eco-friendlier?