SUNDAY was the first day that fireworks were on sale in Beijing for the coming Spring Festival holiday with stalls inside the Third Ring Road starting their festival business. However, the sales on the first day were poor. Beijing Youth Daily commented on Tuesday:

It is good news that the sales of fireworks in Beijing dropped to a historical low.

As the forecast tells of smoggy days during the coming holiday, no fireworks will be a blessing.

Fireworks have in previous years worsened the pollution at this time of year, especially on Lunar New Year's Eve.

Of course, the fireworks are innocent and it is the people who let them off that are responsible for increasing the amount of PM2.5 in the air.

According to new regulations, fireworks can only be set off at designated times and places within the Fifth Ring Road.

Some may say people should have the right to buy and set off fireworks, but not if it is harmful to others.

And some may argue that it is a Chinese Lunar New Year tradition. But not only do fireworks worsen the air quality, they also cause many injuries.

We should never neglect our responsibilities while pursuing pleasure - not even during our holidays.