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Daylight Saving Time - Saving Energy?

THIS PAST WEEKEND WE TURNED OUR CLOCKS BACK ONE HOUR.  DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME WAS EXTENDED THIS YEAR - FIND OUT IF IT LED TO ENERGY SAVINGS ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.

ALDRICH: THE ENERGY POLICY ACT OF TWO-THOUSAND-FIVE; ONE OF THE THINGS IT DID INCLUDE IN THE UNITED STATES WAS TO EXTEND DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BY THREE WEEKS IN THE SPRING AND THEN ONE WEEK IN THE FALL.

THAT’S BOB ALDRICH OF THE CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION.  HE SAYS THAT THE SHIFT WAS MADE TO GIVE US SUNLIGHT DURING KEY TIMES OF THE DAY – THE THEORY BEING THAT WE WOULD USE LESS ARTIFICIAL LIGHT.

SO DID IT WORK?  EARLY DATA FROM CALIFORNIA SHOWS SLIGHT DECLINES DURING PEAK TIMES OF THE DAY, BUT LITTLE EFFECT ON TOTAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION.

MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO CONCLUDE WHETHER OR NOT THE CHANGE WAS BENEFICIAL, BUT IN THE MEANTIME YOU CAN HELP SAVE ENERGY BY TURNING LIGHTS OFF WHEN YOU LEAVE A ROOM AND USING NATURAL LIGHT WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

Read more at the California Energy Commission.