How eco-friendly are barbecues? | Lucy Siegle

Be wary of where your charcoal comes from - it may be produced under 'dismal standards' and with dwindling resources

Gas barbecues are cleaner than charcoal. But for those determined to stick with old-school pit mastery, the central message is: check your fuel.

This edict is inspired by a recent report from forestry NGO Fern.org. It's not the cheeriest summer reading title: "Playing with Fire: Human Misery, Environmental Destruction and Summer BBQs". But it's eye-opening. Small-scale charcoal production has the potential to be a lifeline in rural economies all over the world. Sadly that's not happening.