BEIJING, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) Title: [Ten Scenes of Spring Festival] People in China don’t smell firecrackers to protect the environment for the New Year.
Reporter Zhang Ni
Today is the fifth day of the first month, and there is a custom of setting off firecrackers to welcome the God of Wealth in China. This day is also the peak of setting off fireworks after New Year’s Eve. However, with the introduction of measures to ban and restrict release in recent years, many cities have become much quieter this Spring Festival. During the Spring Festival when firecrackers are not heard, people’s understanding of the old customs is also changing.
It is forbidden to put off firecrackers during the Spring Festival in many places.
During the Spring Festival this year, many places, including Tianjin and Beijing, imposed strict restrictions on the discharge of fireworks and firecrackers, and the bans issued in some places were even dubbed "the strictest in history" by the media.
For example, Tianjin stipulates that from January 1, 2018, fireworks and firecrackers will be prohibited in areas within the outer ring road of Tianjin (including the outer ring road) regardless of time and place. This regulation is also known as the "most severe prohibition order".
Beijing, on the other hand, resumed the "prohibition order" this year after experiencing the transition from "prohibition" to "restriction". According to the newly revised "Regulations on the Safety Management of Fireworks and Firecrackers in Beijing", it is forbidden to set off fireworks and firecrackers in the Fifth Ring Road of Beijing, and fireworks sales points are not set up.
Langfang, Hebei Province stipulates that starting from 2018, fireworks and firecrackers are prohibited in Langfang City and counties (cities) under its jurisdiction at any time of the year. During the Spring Festival, it is also forbidden to sell and set off fireworks and firecrackers in the Third Ring Road of Shijiazhuang City.
In Shanghai, this year is the third year that the city has implemented fireworks control. During the Spring Festival on New Year’s Day in Shanghai this year, there are more forbidden areas for fireworks and firecrackers than before, and the control is stricter.
In addition to prohibiting the discharge of fireworks and firecrackers within the Outer Ring Road in accordance with local legislation in Shanghai, on the basis of the scope of prohibition delineated in 2017, all districts outside the Outer Ring Road have added "high-rise buildings and buildings with low fire resistance using flammable and combustible external wall insulation materials" as prohibited places.
In addition, 17 cities in Shandong Province, except Zibo, Zaozhuang, Tai ‘an, Rizhao, Linyi and Laiwu, all the other 11 cities have issued policies to restrict release and prohibit release.
Firecracker sales are cold, and sales outlets in Beijing and other places have shrunk dramatically.
The reporter noted that the sales of fireworks and firecrackers have also changed in recent years, and the sales of fireworks and firecrackers in many places have been "cold".
According to the data released by the Beijing Municipal Government Fireworks Office in February 2017, the sales volume of fireworks and firecrackers in Beijing has been declining continuously since 2012. In 2017, the sales volume of fireworks and firecrackers in the city decreased by 30.5% year-on-year.
During the Spring Festival of 2018, there were 87 fireworks and firecrackers sales outlets in Beijing, down 82.97% year-on-year. There were no sales outlets in the Fifth Ring Road and the forbidden areas designated by various districts.
In addition, a total of 75,000 boxes of fireworks and firecrackers were stocked in Beijing during the Spring Festival this year, which was 55.9% lower than that in 2017. All large, medium and small combined fireworks and beading fireworks and firecrackers were all listed as prohibited sales.
Zou Yonghong, secretary-general of Shandong Fireworks and Firecrackers Association, told the media a few days ago that at present, fireworks and firecrackers are banned in Jinan, and most cities in the province impose restrictions on fireworks and firecrackers. The discharge and sales of fireworks and firecrackers in the main city have declined. Jinan, Qingdao and Yantai have dropped by 70% in recent five years.
In Shanghai, there are only nine fireworks outlets in Shanghai this year, and each outlet is expected to invest 300 boxes, which is further lower than the total of 3,000 boxes last year. The variety is limited to firecrackers and Gaosheng. In addition, the principle of real-name purchase is still strictly implemented.
What do the people think about not shooting during the Spring Festival?
What do the people think about the ban and restriction regulations in recent years?
In 2017, a survey of residents in 35 major cities conducted by the Public Opinion and Public Opinion Research Center of Shanghai Jiaotong University showed that when asked, "In order to prevent air pollution, the Chinese government should ban firecrackers and fireworks during the Spring Festival. What is your opinion?" At that time, as many as 80.8% of the people said that they "basically agreed" or "strongly agreed" to ban fireworks and firecrackers during the Spring Festival, which was 16.8 percentage points higher than the survey results in 2015.
"In fact, before the ban was implemented, I could feel that fewer people were shooting during the Spring Festival. I haven’t shot for many years myself." Chen Tingting, a post-80s generation who grew up in Beijing, said in an interview.
Chen Tingting remembers that when Beijing just changed from a ban to a restriction, firecrackers kept ringing in the neighborhood almost all night on New Year’s Eve, but there was hardly such a scene in recent years.
"Setting off firecrackers in the Spring Festival is a childhood memory of many post-70 s and post-80 s, but many children younger than me may not be so enthusiastic, and everyone’s entertainment methods are becoming more and more diverse. In addition, the smog in Beijing in winter has been more serious in recent years, and people’s awareness of environmental protection is also improving. Many people actively choose not to set off firecrackers." Chen Tingting said.
At the same time, the implementation of the ban policy has also triggered a heated discussion on the Internet, and many netizens also support it.
"It’s better not to put it away. The electronic cannon I bought from Da Hutong two days ago is environmentally friendly and saves money, saves trouble and worries (I’m afraid that the cannon will blow my hands)." Netizen @O greatly greatly greatly Qian Qian said.
"You put a whip and he put a box of guns, and every little makes a mickle, which forms pollution. Civilize the Spring Festival and let good air accompany us." Netizen @fun4 entertainment anchor commented.
However, some netizens think that the "prohibition order" dilutes the "taste of the year" and give their own suggestions for the "prohibition order".
For example, the netizen @ Gaofeng Ben Si put forward: "Don’t let everyone shoot, will the government organize several places to set off the previous celebration fireworks?" Add some joy to the festival. "
What does the government encourage to change customs and do without setting off firecrackers?
At the same time, in recent years, many local governments have also promoted changing customs and encouraging people to celebrate traditional festivals in a more environmentally friendly way.
It is mentioned in the Regulations of Shanghai Municipality on the Safety Management of Fireworks and Firecrackers that "it is encouraged to change customs and promote the use of safe and environmentally friendly alternative products such as electronic firecrackers and fireworks containers".
This year, environmental protection departments in many areas also issued initiatives before the festival.
Anhui Provincial Environmental Protection Department issued a proposal, hoping that leading cadres at all levels in party member would set an example, consciously take the lead in not buying or setting off fireworks, and at the same time guide and motivate people around them to actively respond to the proposal and do a good job in banning fireworks.
The proposal also calls on citizens to advocate the concept of environmental protection, change traditional ways, choose low-carbon environmental protection methods such as electronic firecrackers, festive music and flowers, be friendly to the environment and say "no" to pollution.
The proposal issued by the Department of Ecological and Environmental Protection of Hainan Province puts forward that "Party and government organs, enterprises, institutions and their staff at all levels in the province take the lead in setting an example, taking the lead in not setting off fireworks and firecrackers, and driving the whole society to form new festivals and customs that advocate environmental protection."
During the Spring Festival this year, Chen Tingting’s family did not buy fireworks as in previous years, but bought Spring Festival couplets, window grilles and other new year’s goods early, and decorated the room completely.
In the past two years, in addition to cleaning and decorating the room and preparing for the New Year’s Eve, she and her family have another pastime, that is, grabbing red envelopes, which they enjoy every year, and the whole family goes into battle together.
"Although I can’t grab much money, I think it’s quite fun. Maybe times have changed, people’s holiday habits will also change, and maybe grabbing red envelopes will become ‘ Annual customs ’ Yes. " Chen Tingting said. (End)
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