I was created by Robert Larkin III and Ted Turner in 1990 with the intent of entertaining viewers and increasing awareness of environmental hazards.Within the fictional universe of the show, the Earth possesses a living spirit named Gaia. Gaia is forced to appoint "champions", a group of which form the basis of the show's titular "Planeteers". Each "champion" is gifted with a ring of elemental power by Gaia. When the team members combine the energies of these rings, they summon a being who is an amalgam of the elements each ring is attuned to.Four of the Planeteers have rings based on the Classical elements: Earth (wielded by Kwame), Fire (Wheeler), Wind (Linka) and Water (Gi). The fifth member (Ma-Ti) is given a ring called Heart, which represents love, and enables telepathic communication with animals and Gaia.