2007-03-09 07:04:14 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The announced reason is : to save energy.
The political reason: to show people that something is being done.
The energy saving is not so much in the quantity of energy being used but in the rate at which it is being used and the distribution of the rate throughout the day.
The basic idea (and the reason daylight saving was created during the World Wars) is that you want to have supper and sunset at separate time. Supper is when you use lots of energy to cook meals. Sunset is when you turn on all the lights. If they occur at the same time, you have a high peak of demand. You need lots of generators to provide lots electricity during that one hour.
That is a lot of enregy being called for, all at once. With daylight saving, these two activities do not occur at the same time. You have two peaks, but each one is smaller than the original peak. So you need to built less generators.
In this case, however, the generators are already built. Power companies will save some money in that they will not need as many people working at the peak time.
Also, our system is getting old. Having reduced peaks may allow old systems to go a few more years without proper maintenance (less maximum loads through aging wires).
However, people living in the northern portion of the country (latitudes 46 to 49) may not enjoy this benefit as the early sunset will be pushed to supper time AND sunrise will be after breakfast, creating two higher peaks for them.
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During the World Wars, this allowed for another shift of workers to work in making more armament, without having to add that new-fangled "artificial lighting" that cost money to install and run. Plants could continue to work in early evening (at least during summer) making use of the extra hours of daylight after supper.
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of course, any money we save (if any) will all go to fixing our computers which will, once again, all blow up because we failed to buy the correct patches...
2007-03-09 07:20:26 · answer #1 · answered by Raymond 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well I have heard on the news that daylight savings time is 3 weeks early this year, which is sunday, and they said that some lights and clocks wont function correctly because its earlier that usual and they are trying to reset them!! I don't know the reason....but thats all i am aware of!! : )
2007-03-09 07:21:26 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The government, showing its usual amazing efficiency, has taken a look at results of studies conducted very recently in the 1970s. The results caused some elected official from Massachusetts to determine it would somehow help people to save bundles of energy here 30+ years later.
2007-03-09 07:22:17 · answer #3 · answered by quntmphys238 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because Congressman M(al)arkey from Massachusetts thought it would be a good idea.
More seriously, the general idea was increased energy savings, but it's debatable how much difference it'll make.
2007-03-09 07:17:28 · answer #4 · answered by Navigator 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
cause the gov thinks they will save us all a ton of money..
2007-03-09 07:11:38 · answer #5 · answered by xyz 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a significant energy saver...
2007-03-09 07:07:53 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
congress changed it.
2007-03-09 07:17:15 · answer #7 · answered by skcs11 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋