This is NEWS plus Special English. I'm Marc Cavigli in Beijing. Here's the news.
Millions of Internet users in China have called for a ban on fireworks during this year's Spring Festival, amid widespread concerns about air pollution.
An Internet user named "Tiffany" says fireworks are a waste of money. Another user "MoMo" suggests decorating home with plants for a better environment.
But there are some users who insist that setting fireworks have been a New Year tradition for thousands of years. They feel the festival will lose its appeal without the sound of firecrackers.
This year, Beijing has increased the supply of environmentally friendly fireworks. Most of these new varieties contain no sulfur and produce less smoke, but are priced slightly higher than conventional ones.
The Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau has urged people to set off fewer fireworks during the holiday season.
Beijing plans to ban fireworks and firecrackers if serious air pollution is forecast during the lunar New Year.
The fireworks celebrations in Beijing on Lunar New Year's Eve last year produced 5,000 tons of waste. It led to a surge in the PM2.5 reading, which measures hazardous fine particles, to 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter.
