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Congress Looks to Extend Daylight Savings to Save Energy

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by Lil Pun, Apr 7, 2005.

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  1. Lil Pun

    Lil Pun Member

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    But Don't Want to Decrease U.S. Oil Demand

    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A House committee voted on Wednesday to expand U.S. daylight-saving time by two months to help reduce energy consumption, but rejected a plan to shave total U.S. oil demand by 1 million barrels a day.

    Both proposals were offered as amendments to be tacked on to a broad energy bill that was debated by the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

    The panel agreed in a voice vote to move the start of daylight-saving time in the United States -- which occurs when clocks are turned forward by one hour -- one month earlier to the first Sunday in March. The end of daylight time would be moved back one month to the last Sunday in November.

    Supporters of the amendment, sponsored by Michigan Republican Fred Upton, said it would save about 10,000 barrels of oil a day because offices and stores would be open while it was still light outside and therefore use less energy.

    The move would also help businesses in downtown areas, supporters said. "There's more economic activity, because people feel they can walk around safely," said Democrat Edward Markey of Massachusetts.

    The committee voted down, 39 to 12, a separate amendment to require the federal government to find a way to cut U.S. oil demand by 1 million barrels a day by 2013. The amendment offered by Democrat Henry Waxman of California aimed to reduce imports of crude oil.

    Lawmakers with automakers in their districts led the fight to defeat Waxman's proposal, arguing it was backdoor way to require U.S. mini-vans, sport utility vehicles and pick-up trucks to improve their fuel efficiency.

    The amendment did not mandate any specific action to reduce oil consumption, but supporters said raising vehicle fuel efficiency standards was an option.

    Some lawmakers argued it made sense to tighten the mileage requirements of new vehicles because gasoline demand accounts for about 40 percent of U.S. oil use.

    "We have to reduce our growing demand for oil ... and this energy bill (without this amendment) doesn't do that," said Democratic Rep. Thomas Allen (news, bio, voting record) of Maine.

    The committee's chairman, Republican Joe Barton of Texas, said he wants the panel to finish writing the energy bill next week so it can be sent to the House floor for a final vote.

    About four dozen more amendments may still be offered to the bill during the committee's debate.

    One planned amendment would protect water supplies from certain types of oil drilling. Another would strike language from the bill that allows the Energy Department to approve permits to build new oil refineries or restore mothballed ones in communities with high unemployment rates.

    The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee may begin voting on its own energy legislation later this month.
     
    #1 Lil Pun, Apr 7, 2005
  2. ROCKSS

    ROCKSS Member
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    I dont care how or why they do it, but I want more daylight. Bring it on
     
    #2 ROCKSS, Apr 7, 2005
  3. VooDooPope

    VooDooPope Love > Hate

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    I agree.
     
    #3 VooDooPope, Apr 7, 2005
  4. JuanValdez

    JuanValdez Member

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    Why can't we just have sunlight 24/7? Why is Congress holding out on us?
     
    #4 JuanValdez, Apr 7, 2005
  5. rhadamanthus

    rhadamanthus Member

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    Let me try and get this straight. We'd save 10,000 barrels a day. We use 20 million.

    This is a savings of 1/20th of a percent. And I'm not able to make out if that savings ONLY exists for those 2 months or the year round. Not particuarly impressive either way.

    Here's an idea. Let's start passing legislation and using incentives to promote recycling, efficiency, and alternate sources of energy. You know, going to the heart of the problem as opposed to screwing around with something that presents piddly savings and smells more like a publicity stunt.

    That's just... just....dumb.
     
    #5 rhadamanthus, Apr 7, 2005
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2005
  6. rhadamanthus

    rhadamanthus Member

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    I hate to post again on this - but I just can't get over how stupid this is. It reminds me of that "no lawn mowing during the day" law that was supposed to help out the air in houston.

    http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/04/07/daylight.saving.ap/index.html

    Hey, why not just stop all the clocks at noon permanently? :rolleyes:
     
    #6 rhadamanthus, Apr 7, 2005
  7. Rocket River

    Rocket River Member

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    you are assuming that the congress is not in the pocket of BIG ENERGY

    PROgress and CONgress are opposites
    so PROGRESSIVE THOUGHTS like yours are not welcomed

    Rocket River
     
    #7 Rocket River, Apr 8, 2005
  8. krosfyah

    krosfyah Member

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    Are you a vampire? Do you like the dark? Maybe you can put aluminum foil on your windows. :)

    When I get home after work, if it is dark outside, I'm in for the night. If it is light, I'm more inclined to run errands. That isn't dumb, that is basic human nature.

    I'm all for it. It sounds trivial but I don't care. Call me dumb but I like light.
     
    #8 krosfyah, Apr 11, 2005
  9. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    I agree. This means more time playing baseball with my son in the backyard after work. That's a great thing.
     
    #9 MadMax, Apr 11, 2005
  10. rhadamanthus

    rhadamanthus Member

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    :confused:

    I was talking about the quote about economic gains for business being achieved through DST extensions.... I think that is a bit of a stretch...

    Some more amusing stuff about DST and the political stupidity behind it:

     
    #10 rhadamanthus, Apr 11, 2005
  11. krosfyah

    krosfyah Member

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    Okay...but I don't care about their justifications. I support the move. I like light.
     
    #11 krosfyah, Apr 11, 2005
  12. jo mama

    jo mama Member

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    i wouldnt mind light till 8:30 or 9, but wasnt the main reason they had daylight savings time was so that farmers would be able to get more work done during harvest time (autumn)? they could start working an hour earlier.

    what about the farmers!
    wont someone please think of the farmers!

    if congress extends daylight savings than john cougar mellencamp is going to have to write a song about it.
     
    #12 jo mama, Apr 11, 2005
  13. rhadamanthus

    rhadamanthus Member

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    I am not arguing the conveniance (other than the extreme aggravation this will cause computer programmers who have coded DST into time sensitive applications...)

    The point is: The amount of light during the day remains constant. Energy savings will be minimal seeing as when it is dark, people tend to turn on lights regardless of what the time is. The 10,000 number smells fishy to me, and even that "savings" is ludicrously small as compared to any rational energy-savings plan.
     
    #13 rhadamanthus, Apr 11, 2005
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