Ted Turner, the real Captain Planet, inspired youth to find their superpower

Every day, the team at Captain Planet Foundation (CPF) comes to work trying to make real the vision Ted Turner had when he told executive producer Barbara Pyle, “We need a superhero for the planet!”

Ted understood that our collective future would require generations of young people who love nature, understand systems, and work together to solve problems in the environment and in their communities.

“Captain Planet and the Planeteers” premiered in 1990 and by 1991, so many young people had been activated that TBS launched the Captain Planet Foundation.

It operated there for 10 years, giving small grants to educators so that kids could bring their environmental projects to life. CPF continued to operate the same way after it left TBS in 2002 to become a 501(c)(3) public charity.

Then, in 2011, the board made a bold decision — the foundation should not only honor the show’s message, but it should also operate programs that reflect the mythology of the show and the spirit of the Planeteers.

Children found their purpose in saving the planet

Leesa Carter-Jones is president & CEO of the Captain Planet Foundation. (Courtesy)

The “Captain Planet” character was never meant to be a savior. The show was always about empowering children to use their own abilities, their “youth superpower,” to work together to solve problems.

The Planeteers were five teenagers from five different continents who combined the powers of the fundamental elements (Earth, Water, Wind, Fire, and Heart) to battle eco-villains. But it was their collaboration, shared purpose and belief in one another that made Captain Planet appear.

When I first started at the foundation in 2012, building a global community of young environmental leaders felt like a daunting challenge.

Today, the Planeteer Alliance connects thousands of young people in more than 100 countries who are creating meaningful change with courage, creativity and heart.

The “Captain Planet” character was never meant to be a savior. The show was always about empowering children to use their own abilities, their “youth superpower,” to work together to solve problems.

The Planeteers were five teenagers from five different continents who combined the powers of the fundamental elements (Earth, Water, Wind, Fire, and Heart) to battle eco-villains. But it was their collaboration, shared purpose and belief in one another that made Captain Planet appear.

When I first started at the foundation in 2012, building a global community of young environmental leaders felt like a daunting challenge.

Today, the Planeteer Alliance connects thousands of young people in more than 100 countries who are creating meaningful change with courage, creativity and heart.

I see Kwame in the Planeteers planting trees across the African green belt. I see Linka and Gi in the real-life Planeteers attending global Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee conferences to end the waste stream crisis in our oceans caused by single-use plastics. I see the spirit of the show in youth leaders stopping cruise ports from destroying critical barrier reefs, launching e-bike delivery businesses, bringing solar energy to their developing communities, and designing solutions rooted in purpose, collaboration, and love for the planet.

Sustainability is our shared language

CNN Founder Ted Turner shakes hands with Captain Planet. (Courtesy)

One of the greatest gifts from being at CPF has been connecting with the other leaders from Ted’s incredible legacy: Nuclear Threat Initiative, Ted’s Montana Grill, Ted Turner Reserves, Turner Endangered Species Fund, Turner Enterprises, Turner Foundation, and U.N. Foundation.

Together, they represent an extraordinary ecosystem of organizations doing good for this world and all its inhabitants.

Oh, and the fact that I get serenaded with the “Captain Planet and the Planeteers” theme song wherever I go. That truly never gets old.

To me, Ted imagined a world where peace is our north star, sustainability is our shared language, and where collaboration, hope, and young people are invested in as our greatest tools for building a livable future for all.