The ban on fireworks and firecrackers in the local area is mainly due to the consideration of environmental protection pressure and safety hazards. In terms of environmental protection, China has achieved remarkable results. According to Xinhua News Agency, in the past 10 years, the number of heavily polluted days in the country has dropped by 93%, and the proportion of days with good air quality in cities at and above the prefecture level has reached 865%, China has become the country with the fastest improvement rate of air quality in the world. This means that the short Spring Festival fireworks will not have much impact on the environmental performance of the whole year.
For potential safety hazards, they can be solved by delineating the time period and area where the fire can be fired, and taking the necessary safety measures. This has been proven by practice everywhere. Local governments can no longer use this as an excuse for banning, this practice is lazy and one-size-fits-all.
Setting off fireworks and firecrackers is a traditional custom in China for thousands of years, a part of traditional culture, and an indispensable program for the Spring Festival, the most important traditional festival in China. Protecting the integrity of the Spring Festival is a practice of "cultural self-confidence".
The recent heated discussion of Shanghai Halloween's "Ten Thousand Terriers Out of the Circle" is the first time that a foreign festival has been collectively "sinicized". This shows that the current generation of young people is more confident. And China's own traditional festivals need to be cared for, celebrated and carnivaled.
In addition, public opinion should be listened to regarding the ban on fireworks. In the Spring Festival of 2023, Henan, Guangdong, Shandong, Liaoning and other places changed "prohibition" to "restriction", stipulating that people can set off fireworks and firecrackers at specific times and areas, which has aroused widespread praise. This also shows the people's love and expectation for traditional festivals and customs. Therefore, public opinion should be respected and appropriate measures should be taken to meet the needs of the people.