Chicago parks: Don't dump your ashes

The Chicago Park District is encouraging one Fourth of July tradition and discouraging another.

The district welcomes people to bring their grills to city parks to barbecue their hot dogs, hamburgers and chicken.

But officials are also asking those with barbecues not to dump their coals when they are done at the base of trees -- an unfortunate habit that the district says has killed countless trees. Instead, they should dump hot coals in the red, metal "hot coal cans" located in the parks.

The district also says the only place where grilling in parks is allowed in open grassy areas where those cans are located, and not near playgrounds and trees.