In 1989, CNN founder Ted Turner and world-renowned documentary filmmaker Barbara Pyle together conceived the animated series Captain Planet and the Planeteers to raise a generation’s global awareness and environmental literacy.  In 1990, the world’s first edutainment eco-toon launched to worldwide acclaim and rockets to the top of the charts, inspiring youth around the world of how they could make a difference, Pyle serving as Executive Producer.

Pyle is approached daily by fans of Captain Planet and the Planeteers who describe the series’ impact on their life decisions.  In 2009, she began investigating how she could connect these Planeteers using the new tools of the Internet. Ian Storrar, one of the first self-proclaimed Planeteers, astonished Pyle with the demographics of the Millennial generation and the massive number of potential Planeteers who would now be young adults.

With the idea of being able to unite Planeteers all over the world, Pyle selected five Planeteers who began work on what would become the Planeteer Movement.  Storrar, along with Nathan Havey and Kyle King, built a website in the summer of 2010 and gave Captain Planet the millennial update it deserved.  Suzanne French and Kristie Gianetto contributed their organizational and team-building skills.  The team, with Pyle’s guidance, aimed to blend fan service with environmental innovation, giving fans around the world the chance to tell their Planeteer story, connect with others, and promote their environmental service projects and experiences that could lead to a sustainable future.

Having put the the tools and resources in place for the Movement’s conception and development, Pyle continues to attend high-level conferences, host meetups, and introduce real-life Planeteers to each other to sustain the exponential growth and momentum of the Movement.

The Planeteer Movement has grown exponentially, and with thousands of new members and over 50 networks worldwide, you can contribute by joining your Planeteer Network or getting in touch with us at mail@planeteermovement.com!