Help butterflies as you barbeque with UK charcoal

I have to admit I was a bit flummoxed when I saw this claim being made. Barbeques? Butterflies? Perhaps it's to do with making sure you don't singe their tiny wings as you cook your Linda McCartney bangers al-fresco style.

But no: what's important here is not where you place your barbie, but the charcoal you use on it. It turns out that a lot of the charcoal we burn in the UK comes from abroad, and this is bad for the environment in a nuber of ways. First, there's the carbon cost of transporting the stuff. But less obviously, choosing instead to use homegrown charcoal can also be beneficial to wildlife, as it's sourced from woods that are managed to provide habitat for butterflies and birds.

If you'd like to make sure your charcoal comes from sustainable sources, selected supermarkets and B&Q will be selling sustainable BioRegional1 HomeGrown BBQ charcoal. It's great for nature lovers because the high quality, additive-free charcoal comes from UK woodlands that are managed to provide habitat for butterflies and birds. Its CO2 emissions from transportation are reduced by 85% compared to imported charcoal2 and it's even better to cook with, as the hardwoods used burn steadily for longer.

Sarah Mooney, Manager of BioRegional Charcoal Company said, "Many people are unaware that there is much difference between BBQ charcoals. We want to let consumers know that choosing a UK product like ours has many added benefits. It goes further because we use quality British hardwoods which burn hotter for longer than imported softwood charcoal and need no firelighters, leaving your food untainted. Our charcoal provides much needed rural UK employment and is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council3. This means it comes from woodlands that are well-managed to help wildlife like the threatened pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly that thrives in the sunny woodland clearings that we create."

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