Swap in healthier burgers. Set the table with recycled dishes. And, please, lose the lighter fluid. It's time to get fired up for a leaner, greener grilling season.

Tame the Flame

The higher the heat and the longer the cooking time, the greater the risk of carcinogens forming on such foods as skinless chicken breast, steak, and pork. Avoid cooking until well done, and scrape off potentially harmful burnt bits.

Work the Onion

Gliding the flat side of a halved onion over the grates will help remove cooked-on bits (and prep the surface for vegetarians).

Focus on the Footprint

It's always been a tough one to call: Gas is more convenient, but nothing tops that smoky charcoal flavor. And weighing the environmental impact isn't much easier. The typical gas grill releases a relatively low level of carbon dioxide (5.6 pounds per hour), but it runs on propane, a nonrenewable fossil fuel. meanwhile, an hour of grilling over charcoal produces 11 pounds of carbon dioxide and a fair amount of ash waste. (Fortunately, there are now some clean, renewable charcoals on the market).