Earth Day: Captain Planet's Favorite Holiday
Imagine if you will, our world is in peril. Gaia, the spirit of the Earth, can no longer stand the terrible destruction plaguing our planet. She sends five magic rings to five special people: One, from Africa, with the power of earth, one from North America, with the power of fire, one from the Soviet Union/Eastern Europe, with the power of wind, one from Asia, with the power of water and one from South America, with the power of heart. When the five powers combine, they summon Earth's greatest champion Captain Planet. That is the concept and opening to an animated series co-created by media mogul, billionaire, and environmentalist Ted Turner.
The cartoon was released in 1990. After each episode, like many cartoons back then, it ended with a moral lesson giving by one of the characters. On Captain Planet it was called a "Planeteer Alert". Because of the concept of the show, they were usually environmental-political and other social-political issues that challenged the viewer to be part of "the solution" rather than "the pollution". I can remember the show suggesting that people plant trees, eat less meat, and stop throwing trash on the streets.
The villains on Captain Planet were clever representations of real-life environmental issues. Hoggish Greedly was a pig-like human who represented the dangers of overconsumption and greed. Verminous Skumm was a rat-human, he represented urban blight, disease, and drug abuse. Duke Nukem, was a doctor who changed himself into a radioactive mutant, he represented the misuse of nuclear power. Then there was Dr. Blight, a mad scientist who represented the dangers of uncontrolled technology and unethical scientific experimentation.
As we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day amidst a world pandemic, I am beginning to see Captain Planet as more of a prophesy than a cartoon. Since it started in 1970, Earth Day has been celebrated every year on the 22nd of April to highlight important issues such as climate change, pollution, deforestation, and plastic waste. It began as a reaction to a 1969 oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, California that blew out more than three million gallons of oil, killing more than 10,000 seabirds, dolphins, seals, and sea lions. Just like Captain Planet, Earth Day’s aim is to educate people and encourage environmental movements around the world.
Wednesday’s annual Earth Day event this year is largely taking place online. It comes as public health restrictions to prevent the spread of Covid-19 have resulted in a sharp dip in air pollution across China, Europe, and the US. Carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels are heading for a record drop. The skies are clearing of pollution. The people in India can see the Himalayas for the first time in decades. The waters of Venice are now clear. Lions are lounging on roads in South Africa. Bears and coyotes are wandering around Yosemite National Park in California and mountain goats are roaming around parts of Wales, all because of the shutdown.
As flights have been scrapped and cars have been parked, we are being reminded of our effect on the earth. It does not take Captain Planet to let us know that we have been so busy "living our best lives", that we might be destroying our only planet. A few months ago, environmentalists could only dream of such a scenario as the 50th anniversary of Earth Day we have before us. But this new green reality is causing little cheer given the cause is because much of the human world is being ravaged by the effects of a virus.
You wonder if people will want to go back to what it was like before. How do we stabilize our environment and our way of life too? In China, it’s not certain that the wildlife-packed “wet markets” where Covid-19 is believed to have originated will be shut down. Conservationists warn that returning the world to its pre-pandemic settings will quickly wipe out any environmental benefits that has occured because of sheltering in place.