I absolutely detest the time change and prefer "standard time" but I'm OK if they'll just pick one and leave it alone!
I always hear people say "It's for the farmers." when nothing could be further from the truth. Farmers *do not like DST.* If anything it makes their jobs harder if they sell to the public. DST means they have to get up *before* dawn to pick crops so they'll be at the market when people arrive. Farmers normally run their operations sunrise to sunset during planting and harvest seasons and rarely before/after either. I grew up in a farming community and had many, many, friends who were members of farming families. Because of their sunrise-sunset schedule they couldn't care less about DST. Many supply/parts stores change hours during those months to better work with the farmers schedule. DST helps them not one iota.
If you're running a ranch of any type it matters as animals don't care either and have a regular feeding schedule. They expect to be fed at a certain time no matter if the clock says it's 4am or 5am. People with pets experience this too.
It *does not* save energy. Studies in 2008 showed that Americans use more domestic electricity when they practice daylight saving.
In 2019, the European Union voted to remove Daylight Saving Time (DST) permanently by 2021.
As of March, 2020, 39 states have proposed bills to end the practice of switching clocks so just *why* is it still around?
A poll last year by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 7 in 10 Americans preferred not to switch back and forth to mark daylight saving time. More want to stay on Standard Time than want to go full time DST.
Here's a good article on DST, its history, and its stupidity.
I *did* experience year 'round DST (actually 18 months - January 6, 1974 until April 27, 1975) when the nation experimented with the supposed "energy saving" aspect due to the energy crisis (and you don't ever save any energy - what you "save" in the evening is "spent" in the early morning hours). It was odd not getting "light" until around 8:30am or so but I was a college student and didn't really care. Those who screamed about kids waiting for school buses in the dark have obviously never lived anywhere that there are kids in the country riding buses. Lots of kids in my area are waiting on a bus in the dark much of the school year due to the time they have to get on one (one passes my house every morning around 6:30).
I've said for years that if an employer came in one Monday and announced "For the next 8 months we're going to open at 7am and close at 4pm so I can get in more time on the golf course/lake/fishing/etc." most of the employees would be up in arms yet we roll over to get our bellies rubbed when "the government" does it.
Businesses are the real reason it exists (it's all about making an extra buck). The lobbying groups for convenience stores know we drive our cars everywhere and pushed hard for daylight saving time to last as long as possible. Extra daylight means more people shop in retail environments. Outdoor businesses such as golf courses and gardening supply stores report more profit with more daylight hours.
I have a clock on the mantle that stays on permanent Standard Time that I refuse to change. Drives my wife crazy...
So what is your opinion?
I always hear people say "It's for the farmers." when nothing could be further from the truth. Farmers *do not like DST.* If anything it makes their jobs harder if they sell to the public. DST means they have to get up *before* dawn to pick crops so they'll be at the market when people arrive. Farmers normally run their operations sunrise to sunset during planting and harvest seasons and rarely before/after either. I grew up in a farming community and had many, many, friends who were members of farming families. Because of their sunrise-sunset schedule they couldn't care less about DST. Many supply/parts stores change hours during those months to better work with the farmers schedule. DST helps them not one iota.
If you're running a ranch of any type it matters as animals don't care either and have a regular feeding schedule. They expect to be fed at a certain time no matter if the clock says it's 4am or 5am. People with pets experience this too.
It *does not* save energy. Studies in 2008 showed that Americans use more domestic electricity when they practice daylight saving.
In 2019, the European Union voted to remove Daylight Saving Time (DST) permanently by 2021.
As of March, 2020, 39 states have proposed bills to end the practice of switching clocks so just *why* is it still around?
A poll last year by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 7 in 10 Americans preferred not to switch back and forth to mark daylight saving time. More want to stay on Standard Time than want to go full time DST.
Here's a good article on DST, its history, and its stupidity.
I *did* experience year 'round DST (actually 18 months - January 6, 1974 until April 27, 1975) when the nation experimented with the supposed "energy saving" aspect due to the energy crisis (and you don't ever save any energy - what you "save" in the evening is "spent" in the early morning hours). It was odd not getting "light" until around 8:30am or so but I was a college student and didn't really care. Those who screamed about kids waiting for school buses in the dark have obviously never lived anywhere that there are kids in the country riding buses. Lots of kids in my area are waiting on a bus in the dark much of the school year due to the time they have to get on one (one passes my house every morning around 6:30).
I've said for years that if an employer came in one Monday and announced "For the next 8 months we're going to open at 7am and close at 4pm so I can get in more time on the golf course/lake/fishing/etc." most of the employees would be up in arms yet we roll over to get our bellies rubbed when "the government" does it.
Businesses are the real reason it exists (it's all about making an extra buck). The lobbying groups for convenience stores know we drive our cars everywhere and pushed hard for daylight saving time to last as long as possible. Extra daylight means more people shop in retail environments. Outdoor businesses such as golf courses and gardening supply stores report more profit with more daylight hours.
I have a clock on the mantle that stays on permanent Standard Time that I refuse to change. Drives my wife crazy...
So what is your opinion?
