Daylight Savings Time: OPEC's Friend

March 8, 2008
Indiana is home to four important things... Interactive Intelligence, some of the best steaks you will find anywhere, some of the nicest people around and really bizarre daylight savings rules that made it virtually impossible to know what time it was in the state, without the aid of computer.

You see, up until 2006, some counties in Indiana implemented daylight savings time while others did not. Thankfully the situation is better now for those who weren't thrilled about dealing with new time zones as they drove through the state.

Interestingly this change allowed researchers to study whether implementing daylight savings time actually saves energy. This is what many of us have been lead to believe. Apparently daylight savings time actually increases energy usage.

Why the increase in energy use? We can thank heaters and air conditioners for this. Also, this article on the matter points out that there are still other benefits to daylight savings time such as improved quality of life due to more hours of sun. There is likely less depression as well because of this simple twice-a-year clock changing exercise.

I am sure  OPEC ministers are driving their Ferrari's, wiping themselves with 10,000 euro bills and laughing at us for being the idiots we seem to be.

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Comments to Daylight Savings Time: OPEC's Friend

RE: Daylight Savings Time: OPEC's Friend

As a former native of Indiana let me start by saying the time situation really was pretty simple. The complication was simply the fact everyone feels the need to bounce clocks back and forth twice a year. Let's just pick a time and stick with it!

I'm still wondering how there are more hours of sun. Did we slow the rotation of the earth? There are no more hours of sunlight, we don't "save" daylight, we simply shift our working hours to give the perception of more sunlight to certain people.

Personally, for me, I see less sun due to my working hours. DST really has no place in a 21st century society that works 24/7 and not 9-5. What is needed is to pick either standard or DST (or heck, halfway between) and leave our clocks there. Why do we want more darkness in the evening hours of the winter anyhow? Wouldn't it be nice to drive home on the icy/snowy roads with some natural light left? It'd be nice to be able to shovel the driveway with some light as well.

The myth of saving energy from DST is busted. Recent studies also show an increased number of traffic fatalities due to DST. There are perfectly sensible alternatives for those that prefer to have their kids go to bed when it is still daylight or want their 4th of July fireworks to occur close to 11PM. Let's check out those alternatives and stop this costly and pointless activity of changing our clocks twice a year like braindead ninnies. Benjamin Franklin is rolling in his grave laughing at us for falling for his humorous offhand comment about saving candle wax! Early to bed, early to rise indeed.

 
By Matt


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