Earth to You

Move over Simpsons. When it comes to product licensing, Captain Planet will not be undersold. The new TBS cartoon eco-hero, who can be seen Sunday mornings battling legions of toxics-spilling villains, has lent his name and likeness to the broadest line of merchandise this side of the Ninja Turtles. The Captain's 300-plus ''Earth-safe'' offerings include greeting cards, posters, and books printed on recycled paper as well as plastic lunch kits, acrylic drinkware, nylon backpacks and warm-up suits, scratch 'n' sniff stickers, digital watches, canvas laundry bags, and yo-yos. Most of the merchandise, says a Captain Planet spokesperson, is accompanied by special ''messages to help young people look at the environment in a different way.'' Good thing, too: The discarded packaging alone might require a super-sized landfill.