The Power Is Yours

I was never the biggest fan of Captain Planet. Truth be told, I was a Gumby man, and if I had to choose an environmentally concerned kids show (as an extremely choosy youngster) it was Widget the World Watcher almost every time. That guy knew how to have fun. I think it was heart that did it for me. Even before I was old enough to have a full grasp of elemental powers given through decoder rings, I was old enough to know that if I shouted 'HEART!' in the primary school playground, I would have been eaten alive. Taylor Swift has since taught me the error of ignoring the heart, but the old stigma still sticks.

Looking back on CP now, however, I can really appreciate what an inspired marketing campaign it was. I mean this was the early 90's, the heyday of corporate profiteering, and this show made it on TV. Adopting the line of major marketing scumbags worldwide, "get the kids hooked and you'll have a buyer for life", CP tried to instil some responsibility in future generations in a way that was interesting, novel and engaging. In many ways, it's not that different from what The Green Way Up trip is trying to do. Does that make me an honorary Planeteer? Yes or no, I'm still going to wear the ring/tee combo and do my best to find a blonde Russian girlfriend when we pass through.

This post has been hastily uploaded in honour of a Captain Planet movie that has recently been announced. The way Hollywood makes movies these days, I doubt it will be any good (if they keep CP's mullet I'll be impressed) but I will still watch it as a salute to the childhood marketing influences that have made me the (slightly more than my parents) environmentally conscious adult I am today.

Also, this.