Lighting fireworks may soon die out, survey says
By Leeann Li |
May 9, 2013, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
MORE families may skip the Spring Festival tradition of lighting fireworks next year due to concerns about air pollution, a survey found.
About 65.2 percent of people agreed with a proposal to ban fireworks during Chinese New Year and 72.2 percent said they are willing to give up the tradition, Shanghai Jiao Tong University said in a survey released yesterday.
The survey was based on interviews with 3,400 people in 34 cities.
Chinese New Year is traditionally celebrated with large amounts of fireworks as custom dictates that loud noise and fire will ward off evil spirits.
However, environmentally friendly initiatives proposed by experts and netizens have become more popular, especially in the lead up to this year's Spring Festival as filthy smog and haze enveloped Beijing for 26 days in January.
Severe air pollution concerns prompted Beijing authorities to ask residents to set off less fireworks this Spring Festival. Beijing also restricted fireworks in certain areas during the holiday.
In Shanghai, fireworks were to blame for short-term jumps in PM2.5 particles on the eve of this Spring Festival and the first day of Chinese New Year. The hourly PM2.5 reading reached 523 micrograms per cubic meter, or "polluted," early on February 10.
The survey also found that 37.4 percent respondents didn't think their daily habits affected the environment.
About 65.2 percent of people agreed with a proposal to ban fireworks during Chinese New Year and 72.2 percent said they are willing to give up the tradition, Shanghai Jiao Tong University said in a survey released yesterday.
The survey was based on interviews with 3,400 people in 34 cities.
Chinese New Year is traditionally celebrated with large amounts of fireworks as custom dictates that loud noise and fire will ward off evil spirits.
However, environmentally friendly initiatives proposed by experts and netizens have become more popular, especially in the lead up to this year's Spring Festival as filthy smog and haze enveloped Beijing for 26 days in January.
Severe air pollution concerns prompted Beijing authorities to ask residents to set off less fireworks this Spring Festival. Beijing also restricted fireworks in certain areas during the holiday.
In Shanghai, fireworks were to blame for short-term jumps in PM2.5 particles on the eve of this Spring Festival and the first day of Chinese New Year. The hourly PM2.5 reading reached 523 micrograms per cubic meter, or "polluted," early on February 10.
The survey also found that 37.4 percent respondents didn't think their daily habits affected the environment.
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