ROUND 1
PRO:
Daylight saving time time, contrary to popular belief, was founded on the idea of “moving” an hour of daylight between morning and evening. During the summer months, before falling back like we did this past weekend, the “extra” hour of light was in the evening. The benefits of doing this include helping decrease the artificial lighting that may be necessary and increasing the use of the sunlight. Since the sunset later, there was more time to take advantage of. It was easier to light a home with the light in the evening rather than having to use expensive electricity or burning candles. Especially in the summer, the extra hour of light helps people partake in events during evening hours without it being too late. With the time shifting so that it’s darker when we wake up and lighter in the evenings, we allow for more time to go do things outside of working hours. It gave us more time to go out and enjoy the weather. While we don’t gain or lose any time by simply shifting the clocks, having them shifted adjusts when it’s socially acceptable to do things. Having the time reflect more light in the evenings rather than in the mornings – like in winter months – makes it more socially acceptable to do things in the evening and take advantage of the light.
CON:
While having the time shift can be helpful, in the modern age, there isn’t much benefit. Regardless of what time it is, people are using electricity no matter what. With smartphones, laptops and TVs, the energy that would’ve been conserved is being used – just by different appliances. Daylight saving time also doesn’t actually change the way time moves, as stated in the pro argument. If time moves the same way regardless, then why does adjusting the hour on a clock make such a difference? Few people will complain about falling back because often it means we get an extra hour of sleep. That subtle shift, however, can throw an entire person’s internal clocks off a lot. How many times have you tried to sleep in and wake up at the same time as always? Our bodies fall into a natural rhythm and shifting the clocks can throw that entire system off. In extreme cases, people can fall ill. In modern society, there really is no need to shift time around for the sake of saving energy or promoting more time outside during the summer. If anything the whole thing is a confusing inconvenience to everyone. We walk around confused from sleep deprivation in the spring or confused why it’s already dark when we leave work in the winter. The seemingly subtle change is actually quite disorienting and can cause a lot more issues than it is worth.
ROUND 2
PRO:
Despite the belief that having daylight saving time makes things safer, it actually makes some things worse. As mentioned previously, the change in time can be disorienting. Suddenly, more people are trying to function in different settings. Often people have to put out warnings and reminders in advance to remind people that the change will be happening and the light will be different. Despite this, people still have issues with the time change. In the winter, since it gets so dark – especially in Houghton – there are more issues with things like driving. For some people, the dark can really disrupt their routine. If you’re not used to driving in the dark, it can be dangerous at first. For anyone that has a car without automatic headlights, remembering to turn your lights on when coming home can be a difficult routine to get into after not having to do it. While this isn’t a problem that stems solely from daylight saving time, it is accelerated by the premature time shifts. There are rarely complaints about the extra hour of sleep or the fact that it stays lighter later into the evening during the summer months. In reality, though, you do not gain or lose any time regardless of what the clock says. The sun will set and rise when it does regardless of our clocks. Time has become a construct we designed to benefit ourselves. Without a clock, our internal timing would still function the same. Daylight saving time has become a useless construct.
CON:
Daylight saving time, as I suggested earlier, offers an ability to lead a more active lifestyle. By shifting our clocks to allow more sunlight during evening hours, there is a boost in economic conditions. Since people are staying out later, they are more likely to buy things and go to stores. Having more people out buying things obviously helps to boost the economy. Since daylight saving time helps shift our schedules over to work with more daylight in the evenings, there is little losing out during those months. That’s not to say daylight saving time is a perfect system. But, given that we switch the clocks in the middle of the night and the fact that most computers and phones automatically change, there are a lot fewer issues than there could be. At the end of the day, the system is a bit outdated but it still holds value. It allows for an adjustment to societal expectations about when it’s appropriate to be outside and active. It benefits shop owners and shopgoers. It benefits the economy and it can help reduce the use of artificial lighting – which also reduces the strain on our eyes. Daylight saving time is so established in our country, as well as dozens more, that it would be difficult to get rid of it completely.
