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We've discovered that if you take a wadge of shredded paper and coat it in melted candle wax they make great BBQ lighters. (We ran out in the summer and since we usually do most of our cooking out doors at this time necessity became the mother of invention!)

Lint from a tumble dryer is a good fire starter - although we don't have a tumble dryer and I can't see myself getting one just so we can light fires!

Extra fine steel wool also works well - ignite it with a lighter or, if you want to show off, with 9v battery.

In both cases, position until a small teepee of fine twigs or splinters of kindling. The gradually build up to larger pieces, and then your charcoal.

And, while not exactly environmental friendly, a good wet weather starter is a slice of bicycle tyre inner tube. Ignite it with a lighter and then place under the kindling - it burns even when wet.