Captain Planet Stressed Me Out
Posted: June 30
By Caitlin McColloch – From The Nature Conservancy Up Close blog post. Also, visit Cool Green Science the Science blog of The Nature Conservancy
As a child I was discouraged from watching a television program called “Captain Planet.” It was an animated feature about a superhero battling environmental injustices around the world. My mother didn’t discourage me from watching it because of the content; rather, I was steered away because of the stress it induced in me as I watched the environment being destroyed by “bad guys.”
Eventually, I channeled some of that stress into an undergraduate degree in Environmental Geoscience, and now envision a career focused on environmental justice.
Captain Planet in the Flesh!
It’s been over a decade and a half since my first encounter with Captain Planet, but it wasn’t until recently I was able to meet my childhood hero in the flesh. During my masters studies in Development Practice at Emory University I had the privilege of being the Youth Engagement Intern with The Nature Conservancy in Georgia where I assisted in the implementation of a Nature Works Everywhere (NWE) School Garden Project.
The Conservancy has partnered with the Captain Planet Foundation, an Atlanta-based organization supporting environmental stewardship, to install gardens in 10 schools across the Atlanta area. When I arrived at the first garden build, which was awesome in so many ways, there he was, Mr. Captain Planet himself. Blue skin, green hair, and all. Read Full Story