The Beijing municipal government should do more to persuade residents to make a rational choice on whether to set off fireworks during the Spring Festival holiday, says an article in Beijing News. Excerpts:

Many people have called for banning fireworks during Spring Festival to reduce the “bad” tradition of polluting the air.

As people become more sensitive to the capital’s air quality, the voices for banning fireworks have won more support.

Statistics show that collectively setting off fireworks in a city does aggravate air pollution. Since air pollution has already been recognized as a threat to public health, the government, apart from limiting the times and areas allowed for fireworks, should do more to persuade residents to quit the festival custom by raising their awareness of the harms of dirty air and the negative influence of fireworks on the air.

Fire disasters and physical injuries to people are the other two problems caused by fireworks during the festival season.

People have the freedom to carry on old traditions. But they also have the rational sense to make the most reasonable choice between a tradition and their health.