 br>
|
An Interview With Captain Planet
Q. Captain Planet, you tell us to remember the "3-R's" of being environmentally conscious -- Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. What do the "3-R's" mean, and how can we use them to help Earth's environment?
CP. Let me start with the first of the "3-R's," Reduce. Though it often seems that the Earth's resources are unlimited, this is just not the case. There are a lot of people on our precious planet, and if the Earth is to support all of them, we must use what we have intelligently and sparingly. When you catch yourself being wasteful (for example, using a whole handful of paper towels for a small spill), just remember that there is a limited supply of everything. The less you use now, the longer the resource will exist.
Next, the second of the "3-R's," Reuse. The "3-R's" are really interrelated. By reusing (for example, using washable cloth napkins and resealable containers) you are reducing the amount of new resources that must be consumed. The best advice I can give you on this subject is to avoid "disposable" and "single-use" items. They are wasteful and a drain on our limited resources.
Finally, Recycle. I think this word speaks for itself. Why exploit our limited supply of raw materials when we have landfills overflowing with garbage that can be recycled and made into new products. In many cases, making new products with recycled materials uses less energy than making products with raw materials.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Captain Planet, why is it so important to use products made from recycled materials?
CP. The market for recycled materials is still relatively small. By buying products made from recycled materials we make it possible for recyclers to make a living and, thus, continue to provide a much needed service. As I have said many times, our landfills are overflowing and there is really no room to put our garbage. If we reuse our garbage we will both save valuable space and valuable but limited resources. It's just common sense! Or at least it should be.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Captain Planet, do you think it is possible for industry to be environmentally responsible and still make money?
CP. Our goal is to show industry that making money and being environmentally conscious are not mutually exclusive. As a matter of fact, they can even go hand in hand. We have found that many business are making a concerted effort to improve their environmental records. They are retrofitting their operations to be more energy efficient, they are recycling and reusing materials that once were discarded in landfills, and they are planning for the future with the environment in mind. Businesses must realize that if there is to continue to be a market place we must make it a sustainable one.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Captain Planet, how does saving energy help save the environment?
CP. This is an important question. In order to feel good about conserving energy we must understand how it will help our environment. First of all, we use many kinds of energy from fossil fuels to nuclear power. Fossil fuels are limited and ultimately we are bound to deplete this resource. If we conserve the amount of fossil fuels we use, our reserves will last longer. More importantly though, fossil fuels, when burned, emit sulfur compounds and hydrocarbons which cause acid rain, smog, and contribute to global warming. By reducing the amount of fossil fuels we burn, we directly reduce the amount of pollution emitted into our atmosphere.
Nuclear power is used to generate electricity. However, the radiation associated with nuclear power is very dangerous. It can cause cancer and a host of health problems If we could guarantee that no radiation would leak from these nuclear plants, that would be one thing. However, no one can make this guarantee. A nuclear disaster, such as Chernobyl can have devastating effects which last for hundreds of years, making contaminated regions virtually uninhabitable. Additionally, nuclear reactors almost always generate nuclear waste, which most be disposed of. As of yet, there are no guaranteed safe ways to deal with nuclear waste. If we use less electricity we will have less need for dangerous nuclear power. Isn't it much easier to stop the problem at its source?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Cap, what would you say is the biggest environmental problem in the home today?
CP. Though I don't like to deal in negatives, it is true that we do face many environmental dilemmas today. The first place to begin attacking these problems is in the home. For example, many of the household cleaners and chemicals we use are harmful to the environment. Bleach, drain cleaners, phosphate containing detergents, bug sprays, lawn fertilizers, moth balls and lots of other household things are harmful to our environment. It is easy to say "our house doesn't use enough of these things to hurt the environment," but if everyone were to say this and continue to use harmful products, the combined effects would be terrible. There are countless alternatives. Just think, what did your great-grandparents do before powerful chemicals were available?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. What can people do in their own communities to help preserve the environment?
CP. Before anything, we must learn to think and act with regard for the environment. Then we will be ready to apply what we have learned on a community level. I can only scratch the surface by suggesting a few ways to begin helping the environment in your community. The first and most important way to begin is to make yourself heard. Support environmental measures in your neighborhood and your city. Write your local and state representatives and tell them that you support curbside recycling and the creation of parks in your community. If your city is behind the times, let your representatives know that their attitudes toward the environment are key issues when they are looking for your support. If you're too young to vote, teach your parents about the importance of making themselves heard. We live in a democracy, and ideally we can turn our concerns into action. So combine your powers with the powers of others, and let your community, and the world, know that the time has come to create a sustainable planet.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Captain Planet, do you think that kids are really getting your message and doing their part to solve environmental problems?
CP. I am certain of it! Everyday I see recycling centers being organized in schools. I see families making wildlife havens in their backyards. I see kids teaching their parents to be more environmentally conscious. I think kids realize, maybe more than adults, that if we don't clean up our act, their kids will have a sad world to look forward to. It may sound trite, but kids are the hope of tomorrow, and it seems to me that most of them realize and accept the great responsibility that awaits them.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Captain Planet, YOU are teaching children about the importance of saving our planet/environment. Do you encourage KIDS to teach their parents about what they can do?
CP. Absolutely! Most grownups did not learn environmentally friendly habits as children, so they're a little behind. It's not their fault, it's just that there weren't so many environmental problems when they were growing up. As a result parents did not focus on what was harmful or helpful to the planet nearly as much as we must today. Perhaps grownups are a bit slower at seeing the need to be conscious of how our actions affect the environment, but with a little help from their kids adults can learn too!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Captain Planet, where do you reside until the Planeteers summon you?
CP. I am the embodiment of the powers of nature infused with the caring of humankind. I reside within the earth, waiting to aid the Planeteers of the world in their quest to rid the planet of the evils of pollution.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. At the end of your show, Captain Planet, you say to the kids, "The Power is Yours!" What do you mean by this?
CP. It is true that I am the hero of our show; however, without my Planeteers I would not exist. The real power belongs to them and all of you! That is what I mean by "The Power is Yours!" It is up to each and every individual to find the power within themselves to say "we must create a sustainable planet, for us, for our children, and for the countless plant and animal species whose existence depends on our actions." |
