Published: June 01. 2010 2:00AM

By Susan Schwartzkopf

Given the warmth of many kitchens come summer, there’s no way we could make it through without an outdoor grill. You can only have so many salads (unless you’re on the raw food diet), so confronted by that or packaging-heavy takeout, barbecuing is definitely the greener way to go. Especially if you do it right.

Charcoal: Anyone with a deep yearning for mesquite or with a lower budget knows the allure of the hibachi or charcoal grill. Unfortunately, this option, which most of us grew up with, is also the dirtiest. Charcoal and wood send soot and smog-inducing carbon monoxide into the air.

Whole Foods carries its own “365” brand of hardwood charcoal, which uses scrap wood from the furniture business and it’s purportedly free of additives, coal, chemicals or fillers. Or think tropical and get some coconut shell charcoal. Though hard to find, this stuff burns without smoke, odor or harmful emissions (you can order it online at amazon.com).

Grills: Another thing to be aware of is the grill itself, whether it burns charcoal or propane. Some models use chrome-coated aluminum which chips easily, leaving you with a bare aluminum surface. Not good for the brain cells. You’re safer with a cast iron or stainless steel grill. The porcelain-coated kind, which is quite common, is also good.

No matter what type you buy, more and more grills come with removable grill-top or grill side trays, rib racks, baskets and roasting pans coated with a nonstick surface. It’s a good idea to avoid these. Burning some nonstick chemicals at high temperatures has been found to release toxic fumes. And really, who hasn’t burned food on the grill?

Fuel: In terms of fuel sources, your cleanest, most energy-efficient bet is either natural gas or liquid propane (which is extracted from natural gas). In fact, backyard grilling with either of these is more efficient than cooking in your kitchen oven. Don’t get me wrong, natural gas isn’t perfect (think offshore drilling and piping through land), but I’ve yet to encounter a grill that runs on vegetable oil. There are solar cookers on the market, but they don’t give you that flame-roasted effect.

However, advocates swear these metallic contraptions cook an amazing casserole and bake some fine cookies in about the same time as your regular oven, assuming it’s sunny outside. It will take a little longer if it’s partly cloudy.