MANILA – As children, some of us would immerse ourselves in swimming pools or bathtubs, a straw in our mouth, trying to imitate the adventurers eluding capture from baddies by immersing themselves in a body of water using a slim reed to breathe air. Many of us found the task almost impossible and would soon surface for air—much to our parents’ relief.
But for asthma sufferers, it’s a day-to-day reality they need to contend with. Relief can only be found in controlled environments free of allergens and/or pollutants, and 14% of children need that space to breathe.
Appliance manufacturer and clean air advocate Electrolux recently took action with a global CSR campaign called “Space to Breathe,” which will send 10,000 straws to decision makers like school administrators or staff, sports coaches, and other grown-ups who can help kids find a safe place to breathe better.
The purpose? To give the recipients a grim idea on how it feels like to have asthma.
adobo got one of these special letters from Electrolux tucked inside a blue, minimal envelope with colorful illustrations. Opening it reveals the yellow straw and some factoids about the campaign.
A space to breathe is dander- and dust-free, where kids aren’t exposed to cigarette smoke, ideally has an air filter, has good air circulation, low humidity (to prevent the growth of spores and mold), doesn’t have strong smelling perfumes or chemicals, and is regularly cleaned.
Simply put: if you have respiratory problems, asthma sucks. But it doesn’t have to be that way all the time, if you can create safe breathing zones.
To learn more about #spacetobreathe and #10000straws, email spacetobreathe@electrolux.se or log on to Electrolux.com/spacetobreathe.