PRO
Spring Forward, Fall Back: Should We Abolish Daylight Saving Time?

Every year, on the last Sunday of October, the clocks switch back to Greenwich Mean Time and all of a sudden, our evenings vanish before our eyes and instead, we are left with just very long nights. Daylight Saving Time was introduced in the UK in 1908 with the aim of providing more daylight time to allow the Territorial Army longer to train, to reduce railway accidents and to cut energy costs. Longer evenings also allowed for more time for recreational activities after the working day is done, which in turn improves wellbeing. However, over a century later, 80% of EU citizens have voted to abolish it, as, after summer has passed, the clocks fall back and we are left in darkness for the following five months, which causes its own issues. However, abolishing our very ingrained way of handling time would also mean that in some of the the most northern parts of our country, morning wouldn’t appear until 10am.

The long nights and dark mornings that we will be familiar with until March 2021 cause their own issues. The lack of daylight in the mornings and in the evenings reduces visibility and consequently causes a rise in road accidents. Deaths on roads are 11 times higher in November in comparison to April, and school children are considerably more at risk on their way to and from  school. Crime rates also rise in winter as it remains darker for longer, allowing for criminals to use reduced visibility to their advantage. With days as short as just under 8 hours of daylight at its peak, work days are also compromised by the time change as the nights draw in, and therefore inhibits productivity on projects if there is no access to artificial lighting. This in turn also causes financial loss due to shorter and less productive days, contributing to stress around finances, especially with Christmas, the most expensive time of year, being smack bang in the middle of this period. General wellbeing decreases during the winter months, as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) rises due to the change in weather, but also due to reduced exposure to daylight. We also see a general rise in depression, but also in male suicide rates, proving that daylight saving time can also be fatal. Mental health issues will also however be exacerbated this year especially due to the current pandemic and the imposed lockdown to try to gain control over Covid-19. We saw a rise in mental health issues during British Summer Time, so the combination of lockdown , seasonal depression and lack of daylight will no doubt have a huge impact on these levels.

The additional daylight in the summer, however, promotes a healthier lifestyle by enabling outdoor activities such as evening walks, sports and taking the kids to the playground rather than sitting in the house watching telly. However, British Summer Time also brings its troubles - the loss of an hours’ sleep can cause disruption. Not only does it often entail tardiness from not resetting clocks, but it takes roughly a week to adapt to the change in time, meaning workers operating heavy machinery and driving vehicles can be more at risk of accidents during this period. Sleep deprivation impairs reaction time, vigilance, decision-making and can cause distraction during complex tasks. It can also have a financial impact as work is generally affected due to lower productivity levels but also due to its impact on health, increasing risk of medical conditions.

It is obvious that there are pros and cons to Daylight Saving Time, some more impactful than others, but in a modern world, does it still make sense to switch from British Summer Time in the winter? What impact do the shorter days have on your business? Would you be in favour of abolishing the time change?

Votes: 0
E-mail me when people leave their comments –

Comments

  • What impact do the shorter days have on your business?  Would you be in favour of abolishing the time change?

    Shorter days are not a government imposition.  The weather and daylight are what dictates what I do, the 'time' is irrelevent.

  • PRO

    The clocks are actually correct over the winter, it is  Summertime that is adjusted.

This reply was deleted.

You need to be a member of Landscape Juice Network to add comments!

Join Landscape Juice Network

Open forum activity

Pete Henchey replied to T &T gardening services ltd's discussion Mulching Mowers
"Ah ok thanks for the advice"
2 hours ago
Si Al updated their profile
18 hours ago
Billybop replied to Adam Woods's discussion Coming to a large garden near you!!
"yes these robots are most welcome to take any of my lawn jobs"
19 hours ago
David Benson replied to Adam Woods's discussion Coming to a large garden near you!!
"very good but there will still be a need for the strimmer and lawn edgers "
23 hours ago
Adam Woods posted a discussion
Yesterday I went to a client to see this - there are two of them, and have been sold to keep their 2 acres of lawn comprising of 3 massive lawns, with hills,scattered trees and shrubs, together with a traditional square lawn near.  the house. TO cut…
yesterday
Graham Taylor replied to Ag's discussion PA1/6 Applying Bacteria based Moss killers for Lawns
"Just do it................ commonsense says its ok even if mindless bureaucracy suggests not. .  If we've got it wrong, whoever is going to report you +  its not as though you'll be going to prison! "
yesterday
Vicky Braddock and Cameron Price joined Landscape Juice Network
yesterday
Cameron Price updated their profile
yesterday
Fusion Media posted a blog post
In the world of football, the quality of the playing surface can make a significant difference in the game's outcome and the overall experience for players and spectators alike.While top-tier stadiums often boast pristine pitches, grassroots clubs…
Tuesday
Liam Healy posted a discussion
**Posted with admin (Henry’s) permission - Thank you, Henry.** I am selling a custom chipper and trailer set-up. Ideal for small/one person landscaping/gardening. The narrow access means it can pass through most side/garden gates and you can chip…
Tuesday
Peter sellers replied to T &T gardening services ltd's discussion Mulching Mowers
"We tried the grin but massively overpriced, the mulching performance no better than our 537HRX HY'S, not tried the Etesia but the HRX gives us the ability to collect when we need to without messing about with mulch plugs or swapping blades"
Tuesday
Pete Henchey replied to T &T gardening services ltd's discussion Mulching Mowers
"Thanks Peter, so do you have experience with the Etesia and Grin mulching machines?"
Tuesday
Gary R replied to Ag's discussion PA1/6 Applying Bacteria based Moss killers for Lawns
"I'd say no. Unless it's a herbacide or pestercide I don't think you'd need a PA1 / PA6"
Monday
Billybop replied to Andrew Betteridge's discussion Ego hedgecutter recall in Australia
"Cheers for the heads up Andrew, am a big fan of some of the Ego kit, but even without the safety issue the performance of that design of hedge trimmer is totally underwhelming anyhow"
Monday
Andrew Betteridge posted a discussion
Some Ego hedgecutters have been recalled in Australia due to starting unexpectedly. https://7news.com.au/news/ego-power-cordless-brushless-hedge-trimme...
Monday
Si Al liked Adam Woods's discussion Box blight?
Monday
More…