The Business Summer Party: How To Have A Green BarbecueAs a business, it’s not just your activity within the confines of the workplace that you need to be accountable for when it comes to energy consumption. In what should be an ongoing quest to be green at home and at work, you and your staff need to be able to be eco-friendly as much as possible, wherever you may be.

As summer is in full swing, it’s not unlikely for a business to commend the hard work of its employees by hosting a summer gala or fun day, where employees and their families are all invited to join in with the shenanigans. If the weather allows, spending the day outside can really bring people together and give others the chance to learn more about the real person behind the name badge.

A summer barbecue is an ideal choice for a business fun day, giving people the chance to get stuck in and enjoy the company of those they work with away from the four walls of the office that they’re used to seeing them in.

Just because you’re away from the office, doesn’t mean that any environmentally-friendly drives should be put on hold. You can be green anywhere, and there’s plenty of great tips that you can adopt to ensure that your business barbecue is as green as possible.

Needless to say, the traditional barbecue is rather unfriendly for our humble environment, especially one on an epic business-sized scale. While a couple of mates huddled over a disposable tray BBQ could probably get away without trying to be greener, the same can’t be said when there’s loads of you.

While gas can be considered to be a more efficient fuel than charcoal, releasing 100x less carbon monoxide than burning charcoal does, you also have to consider the notion that charcoal is more carbon neutral, releasing carbon that was tied up in the tree it was made from. In comparison, using a gas barbecue means using valuable fossil fuels that massively contribute to global carbon levels. The ideal answer to this predicament is to buy lumpwood charcoal from a sustainable British source, so that you know you’re not contributing to the downfall of the rainforest, either.

Use biodegradable plates and make sure that wherever you hold the barbecue fun day, you pick up after yourself. While green space is ideal for a gathering like this, there’s nothing worse than leaving a huge mess behind you – keep on top of the rubbish and recycle everything that you can.

Most of all, have fun enjoying the company of your colleagues without having the stress of deadlines looming!

This article was written in association with British Gas. If you run a business, make sure you compare British Gas gas prices with what you currently pay to guarantee the best deal. Head over to http://www.britishgas.co.uk/business/ for more information.