On Monday, American Power & Gas, an energy company serving New York, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania announced their launch of a change.org petition to Congress calling for a permanent end to Daylight Saving Time.
American Power & Gas believes eliminating Daylight Saving Time will reduce energy consumption across the United States, leading to lower national carbon emissions and lower energy costs for consumers.
“We believe that Daylight Saving Time is an outdated practice that actually increases energy consumption,” explained Andrea d’Agostini, vice president of marketing and public relations. “By signing this petition you are helping us raise this issue to lawmakers and ultimately save energy.”
Daylight Saving Time was first introduced to the United States in 1918 by President Woodrow Wilson and was intended to conserve resources during WWI. However, a growing number of studies and experts have concluded that this is no longer the case.
A key measurable example of the detrimental effects of Daylight Saving Time occurred in the state of Indiana when they adopted the practice in 2006. Researchers discovered that Daylight Saving Time increased electricity consumption by 1 percent overall, with a 2-4 percent increase in the summer and fall months. The additional power usage cost Indiana power users $9 million a year and significantly increased pollution. Researchers believe that this increase in electricity consumption could be a result of an increased demand for cooling in the evening.