Daylight Savings Time free essay sample

Daylight-saving time (DST) has been a controversial issue ever since it has first been observed. I believe DST is a useful and effective idea, and I would recommend continued use of it. In fact, I believe it should be observed year-round, which means America’s standard time would be moved back one hour. Many people make arguments that DST saves energy, and there are studies to support it. (Sources B C) But an equal amount of people make the argument that it doesn’t save energy at all, and that, contrary to popular belief, it increases energy consumption. There are studies to support this also. (Source F) So there seems to be no clear verdict regarding energy consumption and DST’s relation. So how do we determine whether or not we should continue to implement DST or get rid of it? Well the answer lies in this question: What’s worth more; saving energy, or saving lives? In Source D, the evidence of the life-saving repercussions DST generates are undeniable. We will write a custom essay sample on Daylight Savings Time or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page What was put into effect to save energy, ultimately, saved lives. Quite a pleasant side-effect, wouldn’t you agree? For me, this study alone is enough of a reason to continue using DST. On average, approximately 100 more fatal car crashes occurred during the same hour after shifting back to standard time. Also, this study was done between 1987 and 1991, when DST was roughly 7 months. (Source A) Since then, the amount of people who own vehicles has greatly increased due to vast growth and development, especially among urban areas. Imagine how many more crashes could be prevented if we applied DST to the other 5 months of the year. This may be far-fetched, but regardless of whether or not that ever happens, DST should be continually observed due to these statistics alone. DST also has other life-saving implications. The DOT study mentioned in Source C â€Å"found that violent crime in Washington, D. C. , was reduced by 10 to 13 percent during periods of daylight saving time†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This means that, during DST, people are generally safer from violent crime. This also is an important reason to continue the use of DST. The security of the American people should be one of the government’s utmost concerns, which includes domestic security, not just foreign security. I’m aware that the author of Source E claims that DST has ramifications relating to sleep. While these symptoms may occur, they do not last. Not only are these symptoms not permanent, they also don’t anifest in everyone. Additionally, after, at the most, three weeks, our bodies re-adjust to the new sleep cycle and our circadian rhythms are back in sync. A few weeks of minor sleep issues pale in comparison to the benefits DST has regarding the overall safety of the general public. The bottom line is that DST sav es lives. You cannot put a price on a human life; so in regard to DST, I believe that the decision to continue to observe it is quite a simple decision. A life is worth more than any amount of money DST may or may not save, and DST clearly saves lives. Therefore, it’s obvious that we should continue to use DST.