This Sunday, April 22nd, is Earth Day. By all means, if weather permits, get outside with your kids and plant a tree, or something. But if you find yourself with nothing to do tomorrow (that’s Saturday, April 21st), or if you just want an earth-friendly trip in the way-back machine, set those recorders and get yourself into the Earth Day frame of mind with Captain Planet and the Planeteers marathon! That’s twelve full hours of saving the planet, from 8:00 in the morning until 8:00 at night.
According to a press release I received, the Captain Planet Foundation has hand-selected 27 episodes spanning six seasons of the show to include in the marathon.
“We hand picked these episodes because the subject matter of each one deals with current environmental problems,” said KP Hendry, Senior Director of Special Projects for Captain Planet Foundation. “Captain Planet was visionary and ahead of its time. We are all connected; part of one living, breathing organism called Earth. The oceans, the animals and humankind all make up the web of life, and, what each of us does every day matters! We have a responsibility to future generations to pay attention and make changes. Captain Planet’s messaging is needed now more than ever!”
“It’s a privilege to be able to present the very best of Captain Planet and the Planeteers on Earth Day,” said Mark Norman, senior vice president of business operations for Cartoon Network U.S. and Boomerang. “The series became an international hit, with kids around the world adopting its theme, The Power is Yours!, to remind us all that we each have a role in protecting our planet. We’re delighted to offer parents a unique opportunity to celebrate Earth Day by introducing their children to environmentalism, teamwork and Captain Planet.”
Captain Planet is a pretty delightful little ‘toon, and if you haven’t had the chance to introduce him to your kids, yet, now’s the perfect time. If they really get into the spirit and want more than just a day of back-to-back episodes on television, there’s plenty more for them to do online:
- They can color in Captain Planet and the Planeteers.
- They can play the Captain Planet Energy Conservation game (a basic game requiring mouse clicks; fine for little ones).
- They can play Captain Planet and the Robots of Zarm (a strategy game suited for upper elementary and above).
- Or they can take the Eco-Challenge Quiz and test their knowledge. Each level of the quiz they complete will allow them to download another Planeteer Alert, which can be loaded onto an iPod and watched on the go.
Enjoy the weekend, and have a happy Earth Day!
