FlamDisk is introducing a new way to Grill

The Middleton Wisconsin based company Sologear LLC, has come out with a new way to grill. The company started selling their FlamDisk this year, which is a metal disk that can grill your food without the need for coal or propane. The FlamDisk uses ethanol as their fuel source. Right now Sologear is advertising FlamDisk to tailgaters as an alternative to coal since coal is more difficult to dispose of and cleaner for the environment. According to the Wisconsin Business New Source “FlameDisk also produces 90 percent fewer pollutants than charcoal, is recyclable and is made from a renewable resource.” The disks are $5 which is comparable to purchasing a bag of coal, and can now be bought in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and parts of Florida. However Sologear said FlamDisk would be available in major supermarkets, sporting good, and hardware stores nationwide by the end of 2010.

Sologear is advertising the disk for tailgaters but I think this product would be great for campers. One of the concerns that come up while grilling with coal in the great outdoors is clean up. I’m sure the FlamDisk is important to tailgaters who do not want to hassle with clean up or mess their clothes and vehicles; but when it comes to camping you have to consider those concerns and the safety issue. Forest fires are started far too often by people who do not properly dispose of their coal after grilling. Plus the wear and tear coal grilling brings to your grill could be avoided with the FlamDisk.

But Sologear is not content to just sale their Flamedisk; they will be selling an ethanol portable grill by the spring of 2010 for the projected retail price of $20-25$. I think it would be a great idea for them to advertise to campers who are normally environmentally conscious consumers to beguine with. I am not saying that this will or should replace coal grilling, which is safe if you are willing to follow a few extra steps in the grilling process. The process is described in detail in the book The A to Z Guide to Grilling in the Great Outdoors.

In the meantime happy camping

Environmentally Friendly Camping

I saw that dozens of protesters in Boston recently went camping on Sunday outside of the Massachusetts State House, to bring awareness to clean energy.  The timing was most likely to coincide with the United Nations climate summit happening in Copenhagen.  The article I read was vague on details, and didn’t mention why they were camping, or what camping had to do with anything.  I think protests are a great way to bring about change and social awareness, but some people hurt there cause by trying to be shocking.  Does anybody really watch a protest and say “you know; the shirtless guy with the blue hair and pink leotard, beating a plastic bowl with a wooden spoon makes a valid point.”  No, but that is what makes the news, so I am assuming since the article was vague on details then they did not have that element at the protest. 

But I hope the protest brought to attention how going camping can help the environment.  If you were to take another vacation, you will be using a huge amount of natural resources, and even staying home leaves a bigger environmental footprint than camping.  But camping can be harmful to the environment, so I just wanted to go over some things to remember about responsible camping.  First, try to stay on designated trails whenever possible, when you walk off the beaten trail to beguine to beat other parts of the environment.  Try to pitch or campsite in a place that has been used by other campers.  That area has already been marked by campfires, tent and shoes imprints, as well the beating the ground took from football games (that is what my friends and I like to do after setting up camp).  Another important tip that really goes without saying is don’t litter, if your at a campsite with trash cans use them, and remember to bring your own trash bags that you can tie to a tree to keep animals from getting it and keep the trash from blowing away. I hope some of these tips were helpful, it shouldn’t be too hard to get motivated to do the right thing while camping because you beguine to really appreciate nature when you’re in the middle of  it.  If you know any other tips that can help me or our readers please write a comment.  And for other tips check out The A to Z Guide to Grilling in the Great Outdoors, at Grillopia.com

Happy camping

Camping in the Grand Canyon is still the hottest ticket in town

One of my greatest camping trips was to the Grand Canyon.  If you have never been there it should defiantly be on your bucket list; and not just so you can look at it and move on.  The Grand Canyon must be experienced looking down on it from high up and you defiantly need to travel down the Canyon and camp for a few nights (make sure you bring lot’s of water you wouldn’t believe how hot it gets).  Getting a reservation to go camping in the Grand Canyon is tough, because so many people want to go there, and the park only allows so many campers at one time.  The park has a tough job and they don’t want too many people coming in at one time; which could hurt the environment there and ruin it for everyone especially future generation.  But I noticed an article in the San Francisco Chronicle which mentioned that camping in the Grand Canyon will get even harder.  If you want a backcountry permit you will need to send a written request to the park four months in advance starting February 1^, 2010. 

 I know they have a tough job over there so I understand the new rules, but what kind of struck me as strange was the fact that after you fax, mail, or hand deliver your request; the request is then entered into a computer where it is randomly selected for consideration for permits.  So four months is the minimum you will have to wait but it could be much longer.  I understand why it would take longer than 4 months especially depending on which season you want to go.  But why is it random?  If I make a request in February, why should it be considered after someone who sent their request a few months later?  I know that there have been budget cuts in the national parks and everyone needs to tighten there belts in a recession, but I think the efficiency of hiring someone to consider these requests in turn rather then input them in to a database that organizes them randomly would eventually pay for itself in happy campers. To be fair the article did say that the park was going to eventually introduce an online reservation system, but they didn’t say when or why they aren’t being more efficient in the meantime.  Maybe I’m missing something, or maybe I just expect too much from people who are doing there best.  What do you think?  Write a comment and give your two cents.