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Delhi NCR children wrote 1000 open letters to address rising pollution

This Children's Day, handwritten letters by children using 'Pollution Capture Pencils' by Otrivin Breathe Clean urge everyone to take simple actions to build a better future.  

New Delhi: Otrivin’s Actions to Breathe Cleaner program recently announced the launch of its new initiative called ‘Pollution Capture Pencils’, which turned pollution waste by-products into pencils for children. As a part of this initiative, Otrivin Breathe Clean installed twenty-two sustainable and self-cleaning air purifiers to improve the air quality of approximately one thousand school children. The pollution residue collected from these air purifiers was then mixed with graphite* to create ‘Pollution Capture Pencils’. These specially produced, and designed, pencils were used by school children in Delhi NCR to write over 1000 open letters to adults urging them to take small actionsto help them breathe better. 

Poor air quality is a health issue and affects children in other ways. When air quality is poor, children cannot go outside to play or attend online classes in isolation without their friends and classmates as schools are closed. Through these 1000 open letters, children have shared their pollution stories with the world, talking about how air pollution impacts their lives and what small steps they take as young kids to make this world a better place. The heartwarming letters share personal incidents and anecdotes from these children’s lives. The ‘Pollution Capture Pencils’ act as instruments of change for the school children. A common thread binding the words of over a thousand children is a desire to live in a pollution-free environment and a wish that every individual makes small amends to build a better future. Children also urge adults to take small yet impactful actions like participating in a tree planting drive, turning off their cars while waiting at a red light, or commuting using public transport. 

This Children’s Day, Otrivin Breathe Clean encourages adults to take a pause to listen to children’s voices and give them this special gift, the gift of breathing clean. Otrivin Breathe Clean brings to life this initiative of 1000 open letters, written by children using a special pencil, through a film which can be accessed at https://youtu.be/30sQDUGOy8k.

Otrivin Breathe Clean is committed to helping people breathe better, and this initiative is a step towards bolstering this commitment. The Actions to Breathe Cleaner initiative is trying to put the menace of air pollution centerstage in the minds of citizens of India by not only highlighting the problems it causes but also by suggesting easy everyday actions that can combat it.

Bineet Jain, Pain & Respiratory Health Lead, India Subcontinent, Haleonadded: “Rising levels of air pollution in Indian cities is a big problem and children are one of the most vulnerable groups exposed to it. The ‘Pollution Capture Pencils’ have been used as instruments of change by children to express themselves through heart-warming letters. The letters make us realize the world we live in through children’s eyes. These letters struck a chord with me, and I am sure they will appeal to everyone. If each of us can take a small action to breathe cleaner, we will make this a better world for our future generations.”

 Sandipan Bhattacharyya – CCO and MD, GREY Group, India, said, “When a message for change comes from the ones who contribute the least to pollution but are the worst affected, it’s bound to be compelling. This is a campaign to trigger introspection and action. So, we hope these letters from children, written with pencils made from carbon extracts from polluted air, make each one of us take a small step for change.”

Learn more about the initiative and contribute to the ‘Pollution Capture Pencils’ initiative of Otrivin Breathe Clean by helping install more air purifiers across Indian schools by visiting www.actionstobreathecleaner.com . The initiative aims to raise INR 40 Lakhs which would help set up approximately 100 air purifiers in schools.

The initiative doesn’t end just yet. It will continue to take the Actions to Breathe Cleaner program to greater heights. Otrivin Breathe Clean will soon announce upcoming events and developments.