Daylight Saving Time

OK...I have never been a fan of DST. There are several studies that have show the DST does not save energy. CBS Sunday Morning did a great story on it yesterday.

CBS reported that researchers found the impact in just 77 counties in Indiana was a net increase in electrical usage that cost $8.6 million in direct utility billings. Yikes!!!!

The practice of Daylight Saving Time made sense when it was first proposed by Benjamin Franklin back in 1784, when the primary lighting source was candles and oil lamps. It also made sense during WWI and WWII. It was repelled after each war.

In addition, the University of California did find energy savings occurred - but only in the spring months. And overall, the impact was an increase in residential electrical usage of 1% to 4% because Congress seemingly failed to take into account the nearly-universal adoption of a major household technology between 1945 and 2007 - air conditioning.

The report was released in preliminary form February 5, 2008 by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Work was funded by the UC Energy Institute, and the preliminary draft was released for discussion at an energy summit being held at Stanford University on February 8, 2008.

So armed with this data, why in the world has it been extended?