Energy savings that were supposed to be achieved by early DST will likely be minimal

[LynneSin]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17524417/

No need to stress about early daylight saving
Despite fears of widespread glitches, computer clocks seem well behaved
By John W. Schoen
Senior Producer
MSNBC
Updated: 2:23 p.m. ET March 9, 2007

Despite dire warnings that electronic clocks gone wild could cost businesses hundreds of millions of dollars, it’s unlikely you'll see any serious impact from the earlier-than-usual switchover to daylight savings time this weekend.

But it's also likely that the energy savings that were the supposed reason for all the confusion will likely be minimal. In fact, Americans could end up expending more energy driving to shopping malls to take advantage of the extra hour of daylight.

“The general feeling is that it's an inconvenience at worst for most enterprises — involving mainly an issue of installing patches,” said Michael Shirer, a spokesman for IDC, a technology research and consulting firm. Industries potentially most affected are those whose businesses rely heavily on accurate timekeeping, including financial services, telecom and utilities, he said.

Meanwhile, although estimates are hard to come by, it turns out that the energy savings that were supposed to be achieved will likely be minimal. By extending daylight saving by three weeks in the spring and another week in the fall, the intent was to cut power consumption by providing an extra hour of sunlight, delaying the hour when electric lights are switched on. But a 2001 study by the California Department of Energy found that the energy conservation from the annual switch to daylight saving was marginal.

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SO why the hell are we stressing out all the business with having to fix the DST change (and possibly risk screwing up business if there are errors) just so we can have a minimal fix with energy savings. Who's dumb idea was this anyways?

[jzola]

1. You know who's!

[madokie]

2. after all this time and this is only your 17th post,

and to DU

[AnnInLa]

3. heard this discussed on CNN this morn....Chamber of Commerce

This was pushed by Chamber of Commerce for, well, commercial reasons. Seems the more hours of daylight we have, the more daylight hours we have for --- SHOPPING. When we have more hours of daylight at the end of our day, we are "happier" and therefore, go shopping. When we get off work, and it is kinda dusky outside, we hurry home. If it is bright sunlight when we get off work, we feel like going shopping.

Nothing like being manipulated for the Corporate America, is there?

[TreasonousBastard]

4. A buncha sorryass lobbyists..

whose clents, like retailers, expect to make a few more bucks.

I hate the whole idea, and always hated the whole idea. You get so many hours of daylight a year, and why should it be such a hassle to decide when they're going to be?

[Sequoia]

5. Driving to shopping malls?

That's what you do when it's dark. I'd think they'd be driving to the ball park or playing outdoors.