DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME (DST) PROS AND CONS FOR AMERICANS

 

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME (DST) PROS AND CONS

The debate on whether to reduce electricity from the sun or not has been going on for a long time, however many people do agree with this point: if we do so we will save more money. Daylight Savings Time (DST) bill was approved by a vote in the US Senate last week and will be sent to congress on February 1st.

It has been estimated that DST can cut about 12 billion dollars per year in energy consumption by 2032 and help lower greenhouse gas emissions by up to nearly half a trillion metric tons by 2100 compared to 1990 levels. The current U.S. Energy Information Administration estimate says that in 2020, DST could help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from transportation and buildings by around 13% compared to 2015 baseline.

But why is DST beneficial? The benefits are as follows:

A shorter day means fewer accidents and fewer injuries for drivers. A longer night means fewer traffic incidents and fewer accidents for workers. It also reduces fatigue and improves moods when driving on roads during the day. This allows us to drive on our regular schedules, giving us a better quality of life. Reducing your daily trip and making your children's lives better would allow you to travel more. If you live somewhere where you can’t use daylight, think twice before starting work at 9am, or doing homework at 4pm in one session. Less pollution? We are spending billions of dollars each year on energy for some things that don’t add to the Earth's environment, such as cars, airplanes, power plants, satellites, etc, all of which are using fossil fuels. Not only does this result in higher fuel prices but it also takes away some of our natural capital which we should be using like water and forests, which were created by ourselves and can’t be replaced. Our ancestors once walked across fields to find grasses, berries, herbs and more. They could have worked out on their own lawns and raised livestock, but instead they had to rely on sunlight.

How It Works

There are three main ways that daylight saving time is beneficial for Americans:

Energy Efficiency: When daylight savings time is introduced into an existing system, or replacing a previous system, the new system is typically able to meet its own energy needs for the same amount of energy input as the old system. When daylight saving time is introduced into an existing system, or replacing a previous system (such as replacing light bulbs), the new system is typically able to meet its own energy needs for the same amount of energy input as the old system.

Automation: Since most automation systems come with built-in solar energy, solar-powered equipment such as washing machines and dishwashers can be used to run some of the lighting fixtures, while other aspects of a home remain powered off by running on wind, hydroelectric or geothermal energy sources (where wind and hydroelectric turbines are fed by flowing rivers and streams). To make sure that energy efficiency is being kept up to date, smart appliances such as air conditioners and refrigerators have sensors that automatically switch on/off depending on daylight hours. These technologies are designed to operate at the lowest possible energy usage or to be upgraded to solar or battery power on demand. This makes smart home appliances more efficient and helps people spend less time at the office or school.

Automation: Smart homes and commercial buildings use photovoltaic panels to generate electricity. Photovoltaic panels turn sunlight into electrical currents in cells that are then converted into usable power. All the components necessary to power these systems are installed in automated control rooms, which are connected via high voltage power lines to the public and then through the internet. In large buildings, these control rooms may be located on the ground floor, above ground level in some cases, or below ground level in others.

Solar Energy: Solar panels, including those used in residential, are made up of semiconductor materials which are highly efficiencies, allowing them to convert sunlight into electricity at a faster rate than traditional solar cells do (typically about two to six times). There are different types of solar panels, such as Monocrystalline (MCO), Silicon Thin Film (SiSTF), Gallium Nitride (GaN), Gallium Arsenide (GaAr), Aluminium Oxide (Al2O3) plus several more. Most solar panels are made up of thin films of crystalline silicon (crystalline silicon is what makes solar panels work and allows them to produce lots of electricity). The best example of this is a solar panel made by California Solar Company. The company offers solar panels for both commercial and residential buildings. The company designs panels specifically for residential homes and uses solar cells to produce electricity at 100 watts, with no external cables. They say that solar panels produce 5% of the electricity needed to keep a whole building powered when full daylight is unavailable.

There are some disadvantages to daylight saving time:

Energy costs: According to a 2012 report done by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), federal, state, local governments and communities in the United States spent an average of 25 dollars per capita on electricity that is not available as of 2010. While this figure is lower than the national average, experts have reported that this is due to increased energy costs, such as increasing use of heat pumps, cooling towers, heating solutions and high speed railways and airports. As more residents opt for electric vehicles to avoid burning coal and other fossil fuels, consumers also get more energy bills. Studies in 2001 from research group Climate Change Impacts on Regional Economies found that solar thermal power generation will need roughly 75 megawatts of solar power to replace the equivalent amount of conventional thermal power in the next 18 months. This translates to approximately $2 billion to $3 billion in extra cost per year, assuming solar panels are capable of producing 100 gigawatts and 50 gigawatts respectively.

Colder temperatures and weather extremes: Although most weather stations now have automatic cameras that detect daylight, it's still not safe to use lights to go and check the weather outside. You'll be safer if it's dark when walking down the street or taking a bus, even before sunrise.

Wearables: The latest reports indicate that almost 60% of young people in the United States prefer wireless earphones and do not want them to rely on candles. However, it is not uncommon for employees and business travelers to wear glasses, headsets or wireless headphones. Studies in 2004 show that wireless headphones have a wide range of advantages over wireless devices like computers, cell phones and tablets, and may be preferable for travelers, older adults and those living alone. Because wireless headphones require very little power over Bluetooth technology, they tend to offer smaller sizes, easier to fit and require less maintenance in terms of batteries and cables compared to wired versions.

Dawn savings time costs money. Many companies don't offer an option to take shorter breaks, and if they do, they often end up paying for the employee time that they waste commuting in traffic, parking spots, using shared corridors, waiting for trains or buses, etc. DST can reduce the overall consumption of energy while helping to improve the health, happiness and quality of life of the Earth's inhabitants. At a recent event in Washington DC, the city celebrated the dawn of daylight saving time and set aside some money toward DST (as of 2014), which helps reduce congestion while keeping folks happy and healthy.