Bring back the Captain

   

as :
By Trevor Doré, Opinions Editor

Ts thought of Saturday morning
cartoons brings back fond
childhood memories. Waking
up at the crack of dawn to catch the
latest and greatest episodes in which
caped crusaders would battle it out
against notorious villains for the fate
of the planet. Many children spent
Saturday mornings watching the
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles battle
Shredder and the X-Men take on
Magneto.

These nostalgic Saturday morning
cartoons often involved evildoers set
to take over and exploit the planet.
Luckily, a band of good guys would
always come to the rescue and save
the world until next weekend, when
the planet would once again be in
peril. Fraught with violent action,
these shows were always entertaining
yet, questionably educational.
However, there was one cartoon series
that managed to conquer this double
standard, entertaining and enlightening
viewers at the same time.

For those of you are unaware
of the greatness of the Adventures
of Captain Planet, let me provide a
brief synopsis. Each episode followed
the trials and tribulations of the
five Planeteers. These youngsters
represented cultures from around the
world, hailing from North America,
Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and
South America. Each one was issued
a ring by Gaia, the spirit of the Earth,
that represented and allowed them to
harness the power of one of the four
ancient elements: Earth, Fire, Water,
Wind and a fifth, Heart, meant to
symbolize the compassion needed to
save the Earth. When the Planeteers

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‘90s cartoon held a good message for young people about the environment

   

got in over their heads, they came
together to summon Captain Planet.

Captain Planet was a spandex-
wearing, green mullet-sporting
environmental super hero with the
powers of nature. He had empathy for
all of the creatures of the earth and
didn’t like to inflict pain. Instead of
using violence, he used his keen wit
and immense strength to outsmart
the ominous eco-villains. Every
weekend the Planeteers, with the
help of Captain Planet, would resolve
an ecological crisis created by the
eco-villains. The challenges were
presented in an entertaining way
and represented real and relevant
environmental and social issues based
on facts.

The Adventures of Captain
Planet not only entertained, they also
educated. The object of the shows
was to raise awareness, interest,
and encourage involvement in
problems that affected viewer’s own
neighbourhoods as well as the world
as a whole. Every episode would end
with the same message: “that every
individual must respect the planet
and preserve its resources if we are to
ensure our survival.”

With so many great cartoons over
the years it’s hard to pick a favourite.
However, given the double standard of
education and entertainment, Captain
Planet is definitely in the top ranks.

I think Captain Planet should be
brought back to inspire and educate
the next generation. Although his
green mullet and bright blue spandex
won’t make the pages of the fashion
section, his message couldn’t be more
relevant.

In the words of the Cap himself:
“The power is yours.”

 

Risk takers? Not on my dime!

Why should B.C. citizens have to pay for irresponsible adventurers?

By Elle D.

B.C. taxpayers are on the hook for
over $1 million because some thrill-
seekers (dare I say “idiots”) just

had to snowmobile in areas that had
extreme avalanche warnings. Give
me a break—I mean really! Why
should I have to pay to rescue these
people for snowmobiling in areas that
the experts had deemed unsafe? And
then I read that two more were killed
heli-skiing.

All of these deaths and injuries
are tragic and my sympathies go out
to the friends and families. I just
don’t think it’s fair that I should have
to pay the price to rescue or recover
these people when their risk-taking
turns into disaster. If they can find the
money to pay for the adventure, let
them budget extra to pay for a rescue
if needed. If they can’t afford the
whole cost, then they don’t do it.

I don’t have a problem with
people doing something they
love. If they want to “high-mark”
while snowmobiling, heli-skiing,
parachuting out of an airplane, hang
gliding, or any of those other “ris
activities, let them. All I’m asking
is that they take responsibility for
their actions. Either get the proper
insurance coverage and have the
insurance company pay for any
required search and rescue efforts, or
have them foot the bill.

If people choose to snowmobile
in hazardous areas, or ski out of
bounds, then they are making the
decision to be responsible for their
own well-being. Let them also be
responsible for the cost of any search
and rescue efforts. Likely, risk-takers
think they won’t need rescuing—and
most won’t—but those that do,
should have to bear the burden of
paying for their rescue.

If we made them pay, then
perhaps they wouldn’t call for
help, which could possibly result in
more dire consequences then there
already are. However, if people
knew they would have to pay to
be rescued, perhaps they wouldn’t
go into perilous areas in the first
place. Maybe hitting them in the
pocketbook is what is needed to
make thrill-seekers understand
the real consequences of their

risky actions and take personal
responsibility for the costs of using
emergency resources.

Here in British Columbia, Search
and rescue staff are volunteers. Is it
fair or reasonable to ask them to put
their lives on the line to rescue some
risk-taker who made the choice to
go into an area that the experts have
deemed to be dangerous? I don’t
think so.

It appears that the guy who
organized the Big Iron Shootout in
Revelstoke didn’t have any insurance
or permits to hold the event and
people paid to participate and/or
watch. There was likely a “waiver of
liability” referenced in the fine-print
on the tickets, placing the burden
of any complications squarely on
the shoulders of the participants.
Deplorably, the burden is resting on
the shoulders of the B.C. taxpayers.
So here’s another typical scenario of
the “big guy” enjoying the profits,
and the “little people” unfairly
suffering the expenses.

I understand the RCMP are
looking into possible criminal
charges. Aside from that, I think the
B.C. provincial government should
look into suing the organizer of the
event to not only try and recover
some of the enormous costs of the
rescue operation and emergency
resources, but to also send a message
that such irresponsibility will not be
tolerated. Companies that profit from
such risk-taking activities should
also be liable for any rescue expenses
incurred (or carry adequate insurance
to cover those expenses). The
Government needs to enact laws to
protect taxpayers from being exposed
to the downloading of these debts.

People come to our beautiful
province from around the world to
participate in thrilling adventures,
yet why do the people of British
Columbia have to foot the bill to
rescue those who exercise poor
judgment and make bad decisions?

I believe the world needs risk-
takers (most entrepreneurs fall
into that category), but since they
personally get to experience the
thrills, let them also, personally,
experience the responsibility of
paying the bills if they run into
trouble—and not me!