Tag Archives: energy

I hate Daylight Savings Time

9 Nov

I admit it. I’m one of those people who always hated Daylight Savings Time. I always feel better, and get more rest, on Standard Time. I put up with it because it saves energy, or so I have always been told. Guess what? That’s apparently not true.

Freakonomics: More Ammunition for People Who Hate Daylight Savings Time

Even if you hate daylight saving time, you tell yourself: Hey, I shouldn’t be so selfish, it’s good for the economy, or for the environment, or for farmers, or something. Right?

Well, um, perhaps not. Consider a new working paper, “Does Daylight Saving Time Save Energy? Evidence From a Natural Experiment in Indiana,” by Matthew J. Kotchen and Laura E. Grant: […]

Read more at the link. You’ll even find a link to the full research paper in question. I have to admit, though, I liked this line by the blog author (Stephen J. Dubner) best:

On the bright side, if President-elect Obama is looking for some quick hits on energy conservation, here’s one that’s all teed up and ready to go: Kill D.S.T.!

I’m all for that one!

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Bush: “Blah, blah, blah”, GM: “Use E85”

25 Apr

And the blathering and posturing continues. Does GW really think anyone is buying this schtick? The polls numbers say they are not. 32% approval and dropping.

Bush aims to halt gas price rise

<sarcasm>Bush, the Texas oil man, wants to slap the big oil companies. The same big oils companies who made his political career with their big contributions. The same oil companies who have been earning record profits from price gouging since Katrina. I believe that will happen, don’t you?</sarcasm>

In related news: GM breaks from big oil and starts pushing E85 (ethanol fuel) usage. E85 is a cleaner burning fuel, and it is renewable. 85% grain alcohol (from corn) to 15% gasoline. It’s the greener choice, and one I would be happy to make.

This is interesting. It’s an obvious ploy to gain favor with people being eaten alive by gas prices. The availability of vehicles equipped to use E85 is not new. My 2002 Ford Explorer is equipped for E85. What makes this news at all is the willingness of GM to thumb their noses at “Oil”.

Don’t get your hopes up, though. E85 is simply not available for public consumption. The only public station (of five total) in the entire state of Texas is in San Antonio. Oklahoma (3) and Kansas (13) are better, but by no means is it generally available, even there. E85 won’t solve anything. It’s at best a long term (years) possibility. It’s possible that the price pressure from gasoline may encourage an increase in E85 availability. Even so, it won’t help anybody this summer, or this year.

EDIT: According to NPR in Minnesota, this time last year E85 was significantly cheaper (up to 85 cents per gallon) than regular gasoline.

And here, you can see prices reported in Minnesota by consumers.

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