Save Tattered Teddies with Organic Stuffing

I'll never forget the shock, dismay and utter loss I felt when my mother, a neatnik, threw away my Baby Beans when I was about four years old.

Why? Where? How? I asked. The answer was simple: the 'beans' (most-certainly teensy synthetic plastic balls) were falling out and getting everywhere. After several attempts at mending her, Baby Beans went the way of the landfill. It came as no surprise when later in my life, mom banned poppy bagels from our home thanks to their penchant for seed popping...but I digress.

The great news is that there's a simple, green alternative to throwing away your little one's favorite tattered stuffed toy: green mending materials.

Simply slice a rough, one-inch incision, take out what's left of the most-likely synthetic filling, and replace it with an organic version. Try these: