The Low-Tech Times

After the Low-Tech Times reported on possible health risks associated with plastic bottles, some United States Senators have blasted the Food and Drug Administration for not taking action to protect the public against chemical bisphenol A (BPA). BPA is a chemical often used in the manufacturing of plastic bottles and other hard plastic items.

Reuters covers the FDA position as well as the Senators’ comments:

“The FDA could hardly be doing less,” Democratic Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts told Alderson.

Sen. Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat, said the FDA was “looking the other way” on safety concerns about BPA. “Parents always err on the side of caution when it comes to their kids’ health. We think that the law should do the same,” he added.

Instead of using plastic bottles containing potentially dangerous chemicals, The Low-Tech Times instead advocates the use of easily washable, reusable glass bottles.

Now that we’re into the month of May, grilling season has officially begun. If you’re looking for a grill buying guide, you can count on the Low-Tech Times to steer you in the right direction.

There are five good reasons to choose a simple, old-fashioned charcoal grill over a fancy gas grill:

1. LOWER COST–You can purchase a quality charcoal grill for less than $100, whereas gas grills typically cost hundreds of dollars. A gas grill typically has a larger cooking area than a charcoal grill, but even if you are often cooking for large parties, you would still probably be better off financially by buying multiple charcoal grills instead of a large gas grill.
2. CONVENIENT TO FUEL–It is more convenient to pick up more fuel for a charcoal grill than for a gas grill. Charcoal is sold in a wide variety of stores in large and small bags, whereas to get propane you have to lug large propane tanks to and from locations selling the gas. A second advantage is that you can easily tell when you need to buy charcoal, whereas you may not know when your propane tank is about to run out. Today, a friend mentioned the frustration he had when he ran out of propane in the middle of cooking on two separate instances. Some gas grills have gauges, but they may not be 100% reliable.
3. BETTER TASTE–The delicious flavor advantage resulting from genuine charcoal grilling is obvious. If you are grilling with gas, then you may as well be cooking indoors on your gas kitchen range.
4. EASIER TO CLEAN–One of our neighbors recently told us that their gas grill was knocked over by an unknown wild animal. Since we live in bear country, it is essential that we do a good job cleaning our grill. A charcoal grill drips grease onto the hot coals where it burns up. It only takes a minute to clean the charcoal grilling surface with a wire brush. Gas grills, on the other hand, have several layers of metal grates and drip pans that get coated with grease. It is a very long and difficult process to throughly clean a gas grill.
5. BETTER DESIGN–After storing our gas grill last year, mice had climbed up in it and built a nest. With our charcoal grill, rodent infestation cannot occur. When you close the top and bottom vents of a charcoal grill, it is sealed up nicely for storage, whereas gas grills typically have an open bottom design.

My wife and I originally bought a Vermont Castings gas grill. We thought a gas grill would be nice because it would heat up faster to cook on right away, instead of having to wait for coals to be ready. However, after growing frustrated with cleaning the gas grill, we opted for a Weber charcoal grill and couldn’t be happier. Earlier this week, we gave our gas grill away for good. Granted, we have to wait a bit for the coals to heat up, but that’s the perfect time to enjoy a beer and socialize… and isn’t that half the fun of grilling out anyway?

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