Not sure who but I can guarantee it was a PR marketing firm that has big business in their best interest. Read the following article and think:
1) Why do we continue to use Daylight saving time? Do we really need it?
2) What does daylight savings time do to our economy? At what cost to the environment?
3) Are you shocked to hear that this is mostly about business and money? Why or why not?
4) Does the whole world follow DST? Why or why not?
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/business/daylight-saving-business-energy-1.3485281
MARK THIS ONE: We continue to use daylight savings time because many governments and politicians believe that it makes better use of daylight. They believe that it helps us conserve more energy (because we won't be using lights), and because it has economic benefits (people have more time to go shopping). Advocates for daylight savings time also suggest that it reduces crime rates and automobile accidents.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading several articles discussing the pros and cons of daylight savings time, I really believe that we do not need it. I think that because of all the technology and advancements in society, daylight hours versus night hours have little affect on us. If anything, I believe that it could possibly be negative for our environment because people will spend their extra hours in the day consuming electricity. For example, with extra hours of daylight people will drive more, which will contribute to destroying our world. Studies (http://www.nber.org/papers/w14429.pdf) have also proven that daylight savings does NOT save a sufficient effect on energy consumption.
Daylight savings greatly affects our economy. After daylight savings is put into effect, workers affected have been found to be less productive. In fact, an estimate of this effect put the cost to the American economy at over $434 million a year, simply from a subtle shift of the clocks. As I mentioned before, people will drive more, which will add economic benefit for gas companies. Big-box stores and malls also benefit because there are more hours for their consumers to shop. Obviously, this allows them to have greater profit. Major league sports and other events would also benefit as their games/events could start after work hours, allowing greater attendance.
I am not very shocked that daylight savings is mostly about business and money because from this class I learned that the world revolves around money. I didn’t initially know why daylight savings was put in place, but I could guess that it definitely had to do with money because a powerful American discovered it (Ben Franklin).
The whole world does not follow daylight savings times. At places near the equator, day and night are nearly the same length of 12 hours. But elsewhere on Earth, there is more daylight in the summer in comparison to the winter. The closer you live to the Poles, the longer the period of daylight in the summer. So, daylight saving time has no use in the tropics, and countries near the equator. Unless there is a federal law, these countries would generally not change their time forwards with us.
Citations:
http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/c.html
http://www.nber.org/papers/w14429.pdf
I agree we don't need daylight savings. It's seems to have no purpose in my opinion, and cancels itself out anyway so I'm not surprised either the event is more about money than about energy consumption. If anything, I think we tend to consume more energy so what's the point in doing it?
DeleteI'm not so sure daylight savings causes people to go out more than usual. I think people would go shopping either way. Stores would still stay open just as late, people would just do more while it's dark out. I don't think DST has many positive or negative effects, other than the slight inconvenience of losing an hour of sleep in the spring. I think that places that have it do just fine and places that don't have it also do fine.
DeleteI personally did not know that daylight savings was more about money and business than just altering the time of light slightly. I am also under the impression now that we do not need it. I think it's very interesting that some provinces and States don't participate even though the rest of the country does. Not only are there time changes as we work our way across the world but because of the "optional" daylight savings time there could be an extra hour difference in some provinces or states. If I were traveling or trying to business this would confuse the heck out of me! As Brittany said it doesn't make that much of difference, however the difference is more negative. It does tend to lead to more driving time, more shopping time and the convenience to see more major league professional sports games. Overall countries and provinces/states within have done fine with or without daylight savings and it clearly doesn't make that much of a difference so I'm indifferent to the event. However I think that if a country does participate, the whole country should partake in the event.
DeleteAfter reading these posts, I agree with Lindsay in the fact that I did not know daylight savings time was just about the money. But personally I do think that it is a good thing because it increases the hours of light we get throughout the day.
DeleteI honestly had no idea day lights savings was related to money. I thought it was a nice reminder that summer is on its way. Day lights saving has a WAY bigger impact than i thought i did.
DeleteMARK THIS ONE Daylight savings is used as a means of trying to conserve energy, as well as allow for more working hours and also non-working hours in the light. Though in theory, these may sound as though they work and that daylight savings is an effective means of saving time and energy, it does not help anyone they way you would think. Researchers in Sweden have found that since 198 that the number of heart attacks increases the first week of daylight savings, suggesting that this increase may be a result of the change in sleep schedule. Everyone has felt the sensation of realizing that the clocks are turning and the eye are going to be losing an hour of sleep. The common misconception of daylight savings is that farmers benefit greatly from the time change as it gives them more sunlight. This would be false as farmers have been denouncing it for decades, arguing that the change disrupts their growing schedules a survey proposed in 2013 found that only 37 percent of Americans felt that daylight savings was worth the hassle, as it is a national and international waste of time. Also, many different surveyors, reports, and research has proven that daylight saving does not change the energy usage as the darker mornings use enough electricity to cancel out the less used in the sunny evenings. Although some would argue that it gives you more light in the day, most Americans would use this time to go to the mall, or grocery shopping, or other places, which will increasing the amount of driving done by the average person and gasoline consumption will increase. In summary, although initially daylight savings time seemed like a premise that was beneficial for the world, it has resulted in increased health risks, confusion, and overall unhappiness than in has helpfulness.
ReplyDeleteSources:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/11/131101-when-does-daylight-savings-time-end-november-3-science/
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/does-daylight-saving-times-save-energy/
I agree with you. Also very interesting things that come out from daylight savings, what studies show and peoples opinions and complaints about it.
DeleteI agree with what Jenny said. Although daylight savings seems like such an amazing thing at the time it actually has alot of negative effects that we dont realize. I think if its really having that strong of an impact on people to the point where health issues are involved they should really alter or make a change to the whole idea.
DeleteI agree with what both Jenny and Bronwyn said. Daylight savings does seem like a positive thing, but we aren't truly aware of the negative aspects of it. I never really thought of it as having any negative impacts but after reading the comments and entries above I totally agree that if health is being jeopaorized then finding another way to go about it is probably needed.
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ReplyDeleteI hope you had a wonderful long weekend despite the power outages. Please mark the following.
ReplyDeleteWe continue to use daylight savings time for a variety of reasons, with the first reason being for use to conserve our resources. Daylight Savings Time came in effect during World War 1 to conserve fuel and other limited resources. Rightfully or wrongfully, we are told that D.S.T. is good to lower our consumption by many politicians. It is said that in the USA, Daylight Saving Time saves about 0.5 percent in total electricity per day. Although a small percentage, it is equal to 1.3 billion kilowatt-hours. The areas that continue to use it are mainly developed nations (farther from the equator) that should in fact be lowering their consumption. With this being said, I do believe that we still need Daylight Savings Time. By lengthening our days, we trick ourselves into saving electricity, as well as shopping more and reducing traffic accidents. By extending our summer days, we enjoy them more. A CBC article even wrote that “The reduced "accessible" daylight hours in the fall and winter can also lead to obesity and chronic illnesses (…) according to Mayer Hillman,(…) from the U.K.-based Policy Studies Institute.”
Daylight Savings Time promotes economic spending but aim to reduce household emissions. With longer summer days, people are more active and spend less time at home. As a result household emissions drop. There is the ‘curse of the car’ that we must contend with, however the fact of the matter is cars are even more likely to be used if there is less daylight. Economic benefits are most obvious in the retail, and tourist sector. Longer, brighter days encourage seasonal shopping greatly. However, the biggest point was made by the Telegraph, stating that Daylight Savings time could create jobs and income . Tourists would rather come to a country that has longer, brighter days in which they can enjoy. It is no surprise that many people do not come to Canada in the winter (ice storms aren’t the greatest attraction). This can be credited to the dreadful weather, but also the length of the day.
Daylight Savings time has always been about saving money and/or encouraging consumers to spend it. It is not at all shocking to realize that D.S.T. is mostly about business and money. Citizens and companies share the common goal of increasing net profit, and D.S.T. simplifies that for both.
Seventy countries in the world follow daylight savings times. The remaining countries are closer to the equator where day and night are nearly the same length of twelve hours. Therefore, where we live, rather close to the North Pole, daylight savings time has great benefits.
Citations:
http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/c.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/how-daylight-changes-affect-your-health-1.1235591
http://energy.gov/articles/top-8-things-you-didn-t-know-about-daylight-saving-time
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/11188313/5-reasons-to-keep-Daylight-Savings-Time-all-year-round.html
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ReplyDeleteWhoever came up with DST never had kids because it messes them up big time and keeps all the parents from getting good sleep.
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