[longseason]

It looks like Daylight Saving Time is about to be extended, and that has child safety and fire prevention advocates riled.

Congressional leaders of both parties have signed off on a proposal, being considered in Washington this week, to start Daylight Saving Time on the first Sunday in March and end on the last Sunday of November. They say it would save energy.

If the president signs the bill, the new law would take effect immediately, extending Daylight Saving Time by one month this fall. Currently, Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of April and ends at 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of October.

"The more daylight we have, the less electricity we use,'' said U.S. Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who co-sponsored the measure with U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.).

continued at...

source: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-daylight20.html">http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst ... ght20.html</a><!-- m -->

What's your take on this fellow hipsters? Will we follow suit?

A Canadian invented the concept of daylight savings time and now the Americans are messing with it?

First football and now this!

(Only partly joking)

[chris]

"The more daylight we have, the less electricity we use,'' said U.S. Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who co-sponsored the measure with U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.).

Ummmm.... changing the schedule for Daylight Savings will not create more daylight... it will just allow our normal work hours to fall within the the hours that the sun is up. I'm glad that American politicians are just as daft as ours.

Although I think that this may reduce electicity use slightly it's not going to change the way people abuse it.

[mrlayance]

Although I think that this may reduce electicity use slightly it's not going to change the way people abuse it.

I agree with that. I know the US did a study in the 70's.

Theory has it that daylight savings time promotes energy conservation. According to the California Energy Commission, energy use and the demand for electricity for lighting homes is directly connected to bedtime. When people go to bed, they turn of lights, TVs and other appliances, which account for about 25 percent of America's daily total use of electricity.

Studies done in the 1970s by the U.S. Department of Transportation show that America's electricity usage is reduced by about one percent during each day that daylight savings time is in effect.

[LoftyPines]

Very Interesting. I agree that it won't change the way electricity is abused, but anything that can be done to save electricity is a step in the right direction. Now if the U.S. could get on board with Kyoto we would be all set!

[VioletlightHeron]

Very Interesting. I agree that it won't change the way electricity is abused, but anything that can be done to save electricity is a step in the right direction. Now if the U.S. could get on board with Kyoto we would be all set!

I don't think Kyoto will have a very positive effect on changing how industrialized countries manage their energy resources and needs smartly and effectively. The big loophole with Kyoto allows newly globalizing nations like China, India and Brazil, which are primarily responsible for keeping the demand for oil high, to release pollutants at lower levels than G-8 nations. I think a better way to reduce the amount of pollution released by industrialized nations is to have government invest more resources into alternative energy possibilities like hydrogen cars, solar and wind farms and changing the way they allow companies to write off investments and expenditures in developing and using more efficent manufacturing processes. Currently, U.S. law only allows companies to amoritize their upgrades and investments in new scrubbing technology, more efficent manufacturing production processes, etc over 7 to 10 years. This discourages companies from investing in new pollution technology because it drains resources from investing in improving and expanding facilities or research into new products.

[LoftyPines]

Very Interesting. I agree that it won't change the way electricity is abused, but anything that can be done to save electricity is a step in the right direction. Now if the U.S. could get on board with Kyoto we would be all set!

I don't think Kyoto will have a very positive effect on changing how industrialized countries manage their energy resources and needs smartly and effectively. The big loophole with Kyoto allows newly globalizing nations like China, India and Brazil, which are primarily responsible for keeping the demand for oil high, to release pollutants at lower levels than G-8 nations. I think a better way to reduce the amount of pollution released by industrialized nations is to have government invest more resources into alternative energy possibilities like hydrogen cars, solar and wind farms and changing the way they allow companies to write off investments and expenditures in developing and using more efficent manufacturing processes. Currently, U.S. law only allows companies to amoritize their upgrades and investments in new scrubbing technology, more efficent manufacturing production processes, etc over 7 to 10 years. This discourages companies from investing in new pollution technology because it drains resources from investing in improving and expanding facilities or research into new products.

I don't think Kyoto will have a large impact on energy consumption either, and thats not the main idea of Kyoto. I just think that trying to reduce energy consumption, and the objectives of Kyoto are closely related. The environment is everyones responsibility and it is difficult to make a large impact unless everyone is on board.

If North Americans can reduce energy consumption AND curb pollution, we would be making a positive impact for everyone.

[VioletlightHeron]

I agree with you on your last point, but I don't think the positive contribution to cleaning up the enviroment would influence the Chinese government to take any concrete steps towards doing the same; they see expanding the capacity and capability of their economy as vital for their national security and expanding their regional influence, not to mention enabling them to blunt any indigenous movement towards a more democratic government. Judging from their hardline actions in protecting their currency and modernizing their armed forces, I doubt the Chinese government could be persuaded to curb their energy consumption and pollution as doing something good for the planet.

[jkdiamond]

Just have to go ahead and say if the US goes ahead with this EVERY province with a stock market has to go along with this. If we don't it will cause havok with the market. It will make market timing so much harder to predict. It would also throw off trading hours which could have a very negative economic outcome. Regardless, does it really matter. In the end it would take 1 time change to adapt, and to be honest I'm all for more daylight at the end of the day. I would much rather it be darker later in the day, and wake up in the dark, than it be dark at 5pm.