Time is Money: The Disappearance of 'Standard' Time?
July 20, 2005
The U.S. Congress recently began considering the further lengthening of "daylight savings time." If approved, "standard" time will be limited to the months of December, January, and February. The Bush Administration, however, has made known their opposition to the plan (along with several student safety groups).
Is this simply a pragmatic attempt to increase our workable daylight hours and save energy costs, or is it a symptom of something that ails us?
DAYLIGHT DIARY
- The theory of "daylight saving" dates to Benjamin Franklin. It was first used by Germany and Austria in April 1916 to conserve energy during World War I.
- The United States adopted it in March 1918 but repealed it a year later because the measure wasn't popular with rural America.
- Daylight Saving Time was readopted in the United States from 1942 to 1945. It was called ''War Time.'' From then until 1966, when Congress attempted to standardize its use, some states used it and others didn't.
- Parts of Indiana and Arizona still don't participate.
"a symptom of something that ails us?"
maybe it's seasonal affective disorder that ails us, and more sunlight after we get off work in the evenings would help. :D
what exactly were you thinking of, DP?
Posted by: tammy | July 21, 2005 at 05:14 AM
Tammy, I suppose a number of things are racing through my mind on this one. Frankly, I'm a bit conflicted over it all.
I'm a bit suspicious of a purely financial motivation behind it all, and share some of the concerns that educators have over children beginning their school day in the dark. But then, I also keep thinking about the question: "was man made for the Sabbath or the Sabbath made for man?" -- what should our theology of time be, if we should even have such a thing. And on and on the questionings go. Do you have any further thoughts, Tammy?
Posted by: Chris | July 21, 2005 at 01:18 PM
i think the numbers on the clock should serve us (sabbath made for man idea) -- but that it doesn't really matter that much. the sun comes up and goes down, and we can live in a paradigm of each day rather than each minute.
Posted by: tammy | July 23, 2005 at 02:14 PM
I don't really understand the full implications of extending daylight savings time. Would it give us more daylight in the evenings or in the mornings or what?
Posted by: Mike | July 26, 2005 at 07:35 PM
Mike, I'm no expert on the subject, but I believe it would extend the number of months where it remains "light" during typical working hours (6am - 8pm), thus conserving electicity needed to light up work areas, and increasing national productivity (a guess).
Posted by: Chris | July 26, 2005 at 09:01 PM