What’s Open and Closed On Memorial Day

Here we go, the unofficial kickoff to summer, Memorial Day. You've been dreaming of this weekend since the start of winter when it was cold and the days were short. New Englanders love this time of year for good reason, we have paid our dues.

Sure the winter of 24 was not a bad one as far as lot's of snow and freezing temperatures, but either way, it was still a long one. We all agree that the month of January is a long slog that goes by with half the speed of May, June, July and of course the fastest month of the year... August.

That's why love Memorial Day so much, we realize how fast summer flies by and we don't want to waste a minute getting it started. We love our Memorial Day parades to get the day started and for some families it truly is a day of remembrance because of lost family members. Which of course is the reason for the day.

The first Memorial Day took place in 1865 following the end of the Civil War, which saw over 600,000 Americans from both sides of the war killed during the over 4 years of battle.

We have found the 4 best ways to make summer grilling healthier for you without harming the environment. It’sthe last month of Summer, yes September is still summer technically, but we all know that Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer. Let’s make the most of it.

We have found the 4 best ways to make summer grilling

A welder for the Weber welding company was frustrated with what was available four grills at the time. With his amazing ingenuity, he cut a buoy in half and made a metal grates to fit over it and produce the first modern barbecue grill.

At first he wasn’t able to control the smoke when he put the cover on it. It wasn’t until a neighbor told him to drill holes in the cupboard to allow smoke out of the grill that he perfected it. He then added holes on the bottom and the loud smoke to vent out the top and bottom. That gave a controlled heat in the modern barbecue grill was born.

This welder loved the idea so much he started manufacturing them for friends families and neighbors. The business took off so much so that he ended up buying the Weber welding company and transformed it into what we know today is the largest grill company in the world.

Now there are so many types of barbecue grills it’s hard to keep up with them. There’s everything from the big green egg to smokers, outdoor pizza oven’s and of course trendy outdoor kitchens with permanent grills and refrigerators

Use high-quality pure lump charcoal. Charcoal briquettes are popular because they're easy to light and provide even heat to the grill. But the chunks are often held together with chemical additives that can release additional emissions into the air.

Avoid lighter fluid. Lighter fluid is made of hydrocarbons, which can be toxic if ingested. And the smoke given off by lighter fluid-soaked coals contributes to air pollution.

Shut down the grill as soon as you're done cooking. Most people will let their coals burn down and out when they're done cooking, which means hours of extra and unnecessary emissions. Instead, when you're done cooking, simply close the lid and shut any vents.

Switch to a natural gas grill. If you want to go all-in with eco-friendly grilling practices, ditch the charcoal in favor of a natural gas grill.