Lighter Later Campaign

Will · 21-06-2010, 11:04

I heard this on the news driving into work this morning.

The crux of it is, they are wanting to keep GMT+1 but then instead of dropping back an hour to GMT, leave it throughout the winter and go to GMT+2 in the summer next year. It basically means it stays lighter in the evenings in the winter.

They list a few benefits being (http://www.lighterlater.org/benefits.html):

Cut at least 447,000 tonnes of CO2 pollution – equivalent to more than 50,000 cars driving all the way around the world – each year [1]
2 Save 100 lives each year and prevent hundreds of serious injuries by making the roads safer [2]
3 Lower our electricity bills by maximising the available daylight and reducing peak power demand [3]
4 Create 60,000–80,000 new jobs in leisure and tourism, bringing an extra £2.5–3.5 billion into the economy each year [4]
5 Reduce crime and the fear of crime [5]
6 Help make people healthier and tackle obesity by giving people more time to exercise and play sport outside in the evening [6]
7 Save the NHS around £138 million a year through reducing road casualties [7]
8 Improve quality of life for older people [8]
9 Make the nation happier – including reducing the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder [9]
10 Demonstrate that dealing with climate change can be good for the economy, good for people and good for society as a whole

Their website is here: http://www.lighterlater.org/

There's an article here too: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/10362295.stm

Just curious as to what people think? I think it means that for some places in Scotland they wouldn't get any light until about 9am in some parts.

Apparently they already trialed this after the war and another time in the past,. Do you believe the benefits? I believe the part about leisure and tourism, as if it stays light later people are more likely to be out and about later, and certainly it could reduce a lot of the SAD incidences we seem to get in this country...

I think it might be quite sensible, but then again I hate winter gloom so maybe a it biased!

vix · 21-06-2010, 11:34

I can't stand the darker evenings and always think we got it wrong when we change the clocks. Definitely would support keeping the clocks this way, although not bothered about changing it agaon next year - just don't think we need to do it!

Tak · 21-06-2010, 12:06

Having a skim read I like this idea - my SAD seems to be getting worse each year so more light is good

Stan_Lite · 21-06-2010, 12:19

In Shetland, daylight hours in the heart of winter are from about 09:00 until 15:00. Moving the clocks forward would change this to 10:00 to 16:00. I can't see that it would make much difference either way - people will still be going to work or school in the dark and coming home in the dark anyway. TBH, most of the winter in Shetland is so dull and overcast, it's almost like perpetual night anyway.

Wouldn't make much difference there in the summer either. As things stand, the longest day is daylight from 03:30 to 22:30 (even then it doesn't get properly dark - more like a 5 hour twilight) - changing it to 04:30 to 23:30 won't really change anything.

The further South one goes, the more this change would affect people and in my experience, the further South one lives the more say one has in changes like these so I suspect that if more English people want it, it really won't matter what the Jocks want.

I know most of the population lives in the South of the country and that's why they have more say in matters but a thread like this needs the token Jock whining about Sassenach oppression

Belmit · 21-06-2010, 12:20

I have a friend in Perth who voted against daylight savings time last year. Now they don't have it. Didn't realise you could vote against time!

karbon · 21-06-2010, 12:21

i'd be all about this actually. im such a grumpy bugger in the winter and if a bit more time to do funstuffs is avaliable then who knows, i might turn out to be a wonderful human being (heaven forbid)

Jonny69 · 21-06-2010, 12:29

Environmental benefits aside, I don't think I know one person who thinks makes sense to shift the day into more darkness during winter months. Lets do it!

Kitten · 21-06-2010, 12:40

Agreed with Jonny, although it will still be +1 and -1 in Spring/Autumn, the hour would make a huge difference, certainly for us. We lose the sun around 6-7 in our back, to make it 7-8 would mean we could eat outside, and enjoy what little of the day we have left when we get home from work.

Briggykins · 21-06-2010, 13:23

Coming off GMT would make my job a bit more difficult, but other than that, bring it on. Would welcome a bit more time to cycle in the winter before it gets dark.

Mark · 21-06-2010, 20:05

It'd make work with the US (particularly West coast) more challenging as the difference would now be 9 hours instead of 8 - i.e. there would be no work day overlap at all.

That said, other European countries already have that problem and I'm sure they work perfectly well.

My more pertinent problem would be whether it would affect my ability to get up in the morning. I have enough trouble as it is!

21-06-2010, 11:04	#1
Will BBx woz 'ere :P Join Date: Jan 1970 Posts: 2,147,487,208	Lighter Later Campaign I heard this on the news driving into work this morning. The crux of it is, they are wanting to keep GMT+1 but then instead of dropping back an hour to GMT, leave it throughout the winter and go to GMT+2 in the summer next year. It basically means it stays lighter in the evenings in the winter. They list a few benefits being (http://www.lighterlater.org/benefits.html): Cut at least 447,000 tonnes of CO2 pollution – equivalent to more than 50,000 cars driving all the way around the world – each year [1] 2 Save 100 lives each year and prevent hundreds of serious injuries by making the roads safer [2] 3 Lower our electricity bills by maximising the available daylight and reducing peak power demand [3] 4 Create 60,000–80,000 new jobs in leisure and tourism, bringing an extra £2.5–3.5 billion into the economy each year [4] 5 Reduce crime and the fear of crime [5] 6 Help make people healthier and tackle obesity by giving people more time to exercise and play sport outside in the evening [6] 7 Save the NHS around £138 million a year through reducing road casualties [7] 8 Improve quality of life for older people [8] 9 Make the nation happier – including reducing the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder [9] 10 Demonstrate that dealing with climate change can be good for the economy, good for people and good for society as a whole Their website is here: http://www.lighterlater.org/ There's an article here too: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/10362295.stm Just curious as to what people think? I think it means that for some places in Scotland they wouldn't get any light until about 9am in some parts. Apparently they already trialed this after the war and another time in the past,. Do you believe the benefits? I believe the part about leisure and tourism, as if it stays light later people are more likely to be out and about later, and certainly it could reduce a lot of the SAD incidences we seem to get in this country... I think it might be quite sensible, but then again I hate winter gloom so maybe a it biased! __________________ *No No!*

21-06-2010, 11:34	#2
vix Penelope Pitstop Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 4,426	I can't stand the darker evenings and always think we got it wrong when we change the clocks. Definitely would support keeping the clocks this way, although not bothered about changing it agaon next year - just don't think we need to do it! __________________

21-06-2010, 12:06	#3
Tak L'Oréal Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Portsmouth Posts: 9,977	Having a skim read I like this idea - my SAD seems to be getting worse each year so more light is good __________________ The look on your face when a toddler rips out your heart and shows it to you? Priceless.... For everything else, there's FWOOSH!

21-06-2010, 12:19	#4
Stan_Lite Stan, Stan the FLASHER MAN! Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: In bed with your sister Posts: 5,483	In Shetland, daylight hours in the heart of winter are from about 09:00 until 15:00. Moving the clocks forward would change this to 10:00 to 16:00. I can't see that it would make much difference either way - people will still be going to work or school in the dark and coming home in the dark anyway. TBH, most of the winter in Shetland is so dull and overcast, it's almost like perpetual night anyway. Wouldn't make much difference there in the summer either. As things stand, the longest day is daylight from 03:30 to 22:30 (even then it doesn't get properly dark - more like a 5 hour twilight) - changing it to 04:30 to 23:30 won't really change anything. The further South one goes, the more this change would affect people and in my experience, the further South one lives the more say one has in changes like these so I suspect that if more English people want it, it really won't matter what the Jocks want. I know most of the population lives in the South of the country and that's why they have more say in matters but a thread like this needs the token Jock whining about Sassenach oppression __________________ Just because I have a short attention span doesn't mean I...

21-06-2010, 12:20	#5
Belmit The Mouse King of Denmark Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: The Winchester Posts: 6,476	I have a friend in Perth who voted against daylight savings time last year. Now they don't have it. Didn't realise you could vote against time! __________________

21-06-2010, 12:21	#6
karbon Long Island Iced Tea Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Glasvegas Posts: 475	i'd be all about this actually. im such a grumpy bugger in the winter and if a bit more time to do funstuffs is avaliable then who knows, i might turn out to be a wonderful human being (heaven forbid) __________________

21-06-2010, 12:29	#7
Jonny69 Noob Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Socialist Republik of Kent Posts: 5,032	Environmental benefits aside, I don't think I know one person who thinks makes sense to shift the day into more darkness during winter months. Lets do it! __________________

21-06-2010, 12:40	#8
Kitten Spinky-Spank Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: 668. The Neighbour of the Beast Posts: 11,226	Agreed with Jonny, although it will still be +1 and -1 in Spring/Autumn, the hour would make a huge difference, certainly for us. We lose the sun around 6-7 in our back, to make it 7-8 would mean we could eat outside, and enjoy what little of the day we have left when we get home from work. __________________ "You only get one life. There's no God, no rules, except for those you accept or create for yourself. Then once it's over... it's over. Dreamless sleep for ever and ever. So why not be happy while you're here?" Nate Fisher

21-06-2010, 13:23	#9
Briggykins Vodka Martini Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Exeter Posts: 753	Coming off GMT would make my job a bit more difficult, but other than that, bring it on. Would welcome a bit more time to cycle in the winter before it gets dark. __________________

21-06-2010, 20:05	#10
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	It'd make work with the US (particularly West coast) more challenging as the difference would now be 9 hours instead of 8 - i.e. there would be no work day overlap at all. That said, other European countries already have that problem and I'm sure they work perfectly well. My more pertinent problem would be whether it would affect my ability to get up in the morning. I have enough trouble as it is!