FSC certified “green” charcoal cuts CO2 emmissions by 85%

It’s hot hot hot. Literally . . . and it’s just about to arrive at Ethical Superstore. It’s the charcoal you need for some proper green grillin’ this summer.

It’s that time of year already: the season of the sausage – barbecued that is – and this year’s hot topic is how to barbecue ethically. It’s not only meat versus meat-free sausages that ignites debate – there is the barbecue charcoal to consider if you want to achieve some proper green grillin’.

Currently, the UK imports over 90 per cent of its barbecue charcoal, and many of these imported charcoals are not FSC certified, which means there is no guarantee they aren’t responsible for the deforestation of virgin tropical forests and endangered mangroves.

But bag yourself a sack of UK charcoal this summer, and not only is it estimated that CO2 emissions are reduced by 85 per cent compared to imported charcoal, but make it FSC and you can guarantee you are supporting well-managed woodlands and the species that live within them. The pearl-bordered fritillary – the UK’s fastest declining butterfly species – will thank you for it, not to mention the nightingale and dormouse who all thrive in well-managed, coppiced woodlands.

And it’s largely down to the whiz kids at BioRegional who have raised the bar for ethical living yet again. Establishing a unique network of charcoal suppliers from woodlands up and down the UK, small producers of their FSC certified HomeGrown charcoal can supply direct to retailers like Ethical Superstore, and the charcoal can be sourced as local as possible to distribution centres, reducing transport considerably.*

It’s hot stuff. Literally. Made from British hardwoods, HomeGrown charcoal burns hotter for longer, is easy to light and ready in just 15 minutes. No need for firelighters, it leaves your food untainted and is additive-free. And a little goes a long way – a 3kg bag is equivalent to 4kg of lumpwood charcoal – making economic sense too.

So, whatever you are barbecuing this summer, don’t put the ethics on a backburner, bag yourself some wood that does good.

BioRegional FSC certified HomeGrown charcoal is available now from EthicalSuperstore.com, priced £5.99 for 3kg.