We had the good fortune of connecting with Laura Turner Seydel and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Laura, where are you from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today.
I was born in Macon, raised in Atlanta, and attended college at Oglethorpe University. I would say that my father, Ted Turner, who is the real-life Captain Planet, had the biggest influence on me. Dad has spent his adult life trying to protect our life support system – our air, water, soil, climate, and biodiversity. In the 1980s, he started sounding the alarm about the top existential threats: loss of biodiversity, climate change, and the threat of nuclear weapons. He funded and aired programs that focused on the environment, from “The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau” and “National Geographic Explorer” to many edutaining documentaries, to an award-winning cartoon that featured the first and only Eco Superhero, “Captain Planet and the Planeteers.”
Through watching Turner Broadcasting programming and the top news stories on CNN to witnessing my dad’s outspoken advocacy and unparalleled philanthropy, my family and I (as well as millions of others) learned how to be stewards; we learned the importance of restoring and protecting the natural systems that support our lives — the oceans, land, wildlife, and more — for our children and future generations. Dad says we must save everything, and he even created a bumper sticker promoting that idea. I realized I could make a difference and find joy and purpose by taking action. That’s why I have invested my time, energy, and resources into identifying problems and working to solve them. I have been driven to do everything I can to help create a healthy and sustainable future for our children and grandchildren.
