So did you make it to work on time this week? Even if you remembered to set your clocks an hour forward, it’s doubtful starting your workday—and workweek—60 minutes earlier than the week before was in any way enjoyable.
Every year during Daylight Savings Time (and sometimes again, upon the return of Standard Time), millions ponder the efficiency of resetting clocks and creating the illusion of an extra hour of daylight. You may have heard many reasons for this time warp—from its pre-industrial origins, when farmers needed extra hours in the day for the planting and/or harvest, to its post-industrial roots in the notion that workers deserved a few sunlit hours after their shift—but one of the main arguments for maintaining Daylight Savings Time is that it saves energy (and therefore, money).
But is that the case?
Here are some Daylight Savings Times Facts:
* Germany was not only the first country to put Daylight Savings Time into practice, it was also the first country to use the time change for energy savings—in this case to preserve coal for its military aspirations.
* Running one air conditioner during the day uses more energy than leaving dozens of incandescent light bulbs on all night.
* Hawaii and Arizona are the only two states in the US who do not recognize Daylight Savings time—the former because the seasons (and length of days) are fairly monotonous, and the latter because the summer heat makes the benefits of extra daylight irrelevant. (Most people like to stick close to the AC when temps get above 100°F.)
* While studies disagree as to whether Daylight Savings Time saves energy or actually leads to greater energy use, all studies agree that the effect one way or the other is around 1%—or $4 US dollars per household.
* Some studies estimate that Daylight Savings Time observing regions actually experience significant drop off in worker productivity during the first three weeks of the time change—up to $480,000,000.
If you’re still confused, I recommend you check out this video produced by CC Grey (the creative mind behind a series of similarly informative videos about copyright, coffee, and the Electoral College, all of which can be found here.
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March 15th, 2012
BMP Management
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Constantly influenced by natural eutrophication, direct human impact, and a changing climate, surface water is a scarce natural resource needing effective protection. Join Shahram (Shane) Missaghi to explore the function and benefits of BMPs in protecting surface water, and examine three key criteria to insure their successful implementation: water, soil, and climate Read more...
March 22nd, 2012
5 Proven Social Media Tactics to Engage Your Audience
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April 5th, 2012
BMP Management
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Constantly influenced by natural eutrophication, direct human impact, and a changing climate, surface water is a scarce natural resource needing effective protection. Join Shahram (Shane) Missaghi to explore the function and benefits of BMPs in protecting surface water, and examine three key criteria to insure their successful implementation: water, soil, and climate Read more...
April 18th, - May 25th, 2012
Sediment and Erosion Control
Master Class Series
Join industry expert and bestselling author Jerald S. Fifield, Ph.D., CISEC, CPESC and Tina R. Evans, PE, CISEC for a comprehensive 6-part online master class and workshop series (0.9 CEUs / 9 PDHs) exploring the ins and outs of effective sediment and erosion control plan design and review based on Fifield’s recently released 3rd edition of the bestselling manual Designing and Reviewing Effective Sediment and Erosion Control Plans (included in your Master Class Series package).
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