TEMPO.CO, Beijing - Chinese New Year cannot be separated from fireworks as they are believed to turn away evil spirits. However, due to the worsening pollution recently, the Chinese government has called on its people to celebrate the New Year with fewer fireworks.
As reported by Xinhua, China saw less smog during the lunar New Year celebrations, as people have shown "quiet" support for the government call. Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center reported less air pollution, good visibility and less noise on the eve of China's Spring Festival. The Spring Festival falls on Friday this year.
Beijing's air quality on the eve of the Spring Festival was "much better" than last year with the average PM 2.5 reading between 140-160 micrograms per cubic meter from 6 p.m. on Thursday to midnight. The municipal environmental monitoring center said that last year, Beijing recorded its highest ever reading (over 1,000) after a firework frenzy on the lunar new year's eve.
The municipal government was so thrilled that it expressed gratitude in a public letter on Friday to local citizens who answered its call of replacing fireworks with flowers and electronic substitutes for celebrations.
ANINGTIAS JATMIKA | XINHUA
