Electrolux Calls Out For Better Environments For Children With Asthma

FYI, Electrolux is inviting everyone to send 10,000 straws to school staff members and other decision makers across the globe in the #spacetobreathe initiative.

Press Release:

Philippines, July 2015 -- A straw can be more than just something for drinking. Electrolux, a global leader in home appliances, gives this everyday item a new meaning in their latest campaign to raise awareness on a potentially serious illness— asthma.

About 14% of the world’s children suffer from asthmatic symptoms, and it has been a leading cause of school absenteeism, and a common reason for children being excluded from sports and other activities. In the Philippines alone, around 10 million people have this disease. By asking 10,000 school staff members, sports coaches, and decision makers to breathe through a straw, Electrolux hopes to inspire the community to create asthma-friendly environments.

“With medication, better knowledge about the disease, and improved indoor air quality, no child should have to stay home from school or get excluded from the community,” says Henrik Sundström, Vice President, Group Sustainability at Electrolux. “With this initiative, we want to inspire people to take a stand and help create safe and healthy environments that don’t exclude children with asthma. Reducing asthma triggers is easy, and we can all help.”

To reach school staff members, sports coaches, librarians, politicians and other policy makers, Electrolux will send out 10,000 straws with some easy-to-follow steps for those who want to create an asthma-friendly environment. Electrolux invites the general public to decide who should get a straw by nominating their names at electrolux.com/spacetobreathe. “By asking decision makers to breathe through a straw, we want to remind them about their responsibility to create asthma-friendly environments. Every child should have the space to breathe,” Sundström continues. 

“Electrolux is dedicated to creating a clean and safe home environment for children and families,” says Andrea Pionilla, Marketing Manager of Electrolux Philippines. “We are committed to improving the indoor air quality of homes through our highly efficient vacuum cleaners and air conditioners. Cleaning is important, but this campaign presents a wide range of actions that anyone can take in order to reduce asthma triggers at home and in public environments.”

Visit electrolux.com/spacetobreathe to learn more and to send a straw to someone in your community.