Air Freshener

A colleague recently came into my office and said, "you're green, right?" (I love that that's the image I portray!) And then he inquired about the Glade Plug-in I had, which sits on my floor, more so because it smells like Christmas than because it is not eco-friendly. He was looking for an air freshener that didn't negatively impact his health or the environment. After doing a little research, I couldn't find a simple option to replace the rather toxic plug-in variety.

The only green air freshener I found is this: http://www.sani-air.com/default.aspx. 

Most green people suggest a lot of do it yourself ideas. Some are fairly easy. Here are some I found:

• Burn 100 percent pure beeswax candles with 100 percent cotton wicks—they purify and clean the air
• Use green tea to refresh your home
•  Simmer cinnamon and cloves, fresh ginger, or herbs in water on the stovetop.
• Simmer water with a drop or two of your favorite pure essential oil.
• Use organic sachets and potpourris.
• Try these other homemade Home Sweeteners
• Combine 5-10 drops of an essential oil like lavender, lemon, peppermint, bergamot, balsam, eucalyptus, tea tree, or sweet orange in a spray bottle with two cups of water.
• Place a drop of your favorite essential oil on a light bulb prior to turning it on or add a dozen drops to a bowl of water placed on a radiator.
• Place a couple of drops of essential oil on your vacuum cleaner's exhaust filter to freshen exiting air. A few drops of lemon juice on your vacuum cleaner bag will do the same trick.
• Open windows.
• Clean the source of the odor with non-toxic products.
• Empty the garbage frequently.
• Use an open box of baking soda for smelly rooms. We keep baking soda near garbage and the dirty diaper bag. 
• Use indoor plants to clear carbon dioxide and other toxins.

I would say an essential oil would be a good way to go. You can buy a few varieties at Cub in the natural foods section, or there’s a bunch more at a food co-op or Whole Foods. I use essential oils for a few different things, and they really do a good job of naturally cleaning and smelling nice.