Energy & Environment

Daylight Saving Time observation (not the changing of clocks) wastes energy and increases pollution. Artificially moving an hour of daylight from mornings to evenings might reduce evening lighting costs as originally promised, but any savings is canceled by increased morning lighting. Furthermore, modern lighting is not a considerable energy expense when compared to the far-less efficient expenses of heating and air conditioning.12345

DST increases demand both for morning heat and evening air conditioning.13456 DST also encourages more evening driving, which led the petroleum industry to become a major lobby for DST.12578 These increases to heating, air conditioning, and driving all increase energy costs, pollution, and climate change.12345

When Indiana changed from permanent Standard Time to summertime DST in 2007, annual consumer electricity demand rose 1 to 4%. This jump cost residents an extra $9M per year in utilities, and up to $5.5M annually in added pollution expenses.1349 The same effect was seen in Sydney, Australia, when DST was extended for the 2000 Summer Olympics.2 Energy waste could be even worse in regions with greater populations or more extreme weather.3

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