The greenest air freshener, of course, is fresh air itself. Throwing open the windows to "air out the house" like they did in ye olden days helps to release some of the pent-up pollutants in your indoor air, and it's free. I've tried that chez moi, and frankly, it hasn't worked. You see, I live in an old, unrenovated Edwardian house once occupied by an elderly lady who lived there her entire life. The house smells like it's been through a lot. More succinctly, it smells old. Plus, due to my outdoor allergies, I need to keep the windows closed on those delightfully breezy early summer days. Plug-ins and aerosols are not for me, I'm not crazy about artificial scents either. But I love lavender (real lavender, that is) so I'm going to try Sweet Grass Farm's fragrance sticks, shown above. It's very low-tech: You dip the bamboo sticks in a glass full of oil tempered with essential oil of lavender, let evaporation do its work, and enjoy the lovely scent when you get home, instead of being affronted by eau d'old house. Anyone ever try these? Other ideas for green air fresheners: • A bowl of lavender flowers • Real potpourri instead of chemical concoctions • Lots of houseplants, or maybe a big pot of sage in a pretty planter • Fragrant seasonal flowers from your garden: roses, lilacs, lily of the valley Any other ideas? Please do share. Read more: How to improve indoor air quality