Health Patio

Still trying into the hour spring forward? So are environmental researchers! Traditionally, daylight saving has been seen as a positive switch for the environment because of the decreased need for artificial lighting, which, with small appliances, accounts for 25% of United States’. In fact, the installation of daylight savings has always been for energy saving reasons (although not always environmental). According to the California Energy Commission, 1% of California is saved by each day daylight savings. New research that took place in Indiana indicates, however, that energy use increases just after daylight savings. Lara Grant and Matthew Kotchen, researchers at the University of California in Santa Barbara, conclude that electricity consumption increase 1 to 4 percent as a result of Daylight Savings Time.

According to the dates of DST practice prior to 2007, we estimate a cost to Indiana households of $8.6 million per year in increased electricity bills. Estimates of the social costs due to increased pollution emissions range from $1.6 to $5.3 million per year. (Does Daylight Savings Time Save Energy?)

While Americans might be leaving their lights off for longer, they seem to be turning their air conditioning in the Spring and heaters on the Fall. Remember to change your thermostats daily - turn it off when you leave for work and school and lower it when you get into bed.

Climate / Human habitat, Ecology, Mental and emotional health, Ways of knowing | RSS 2.0 | Comment it , or trackback this post.