Daylight Saving Time anyone?

While driving home in the dark the other night, I had an idea. What about implementing Daylight Saving Time (DST) in the Marianas? Now, before people start jumping all over me about why it won’t work, just think about how, with proper planning, it just might.

Remember, we as a Commonwealth have to look for options to conserve energy. Anything to help with our current situation should be considered. We do not have enough power to meet our needs. Even when all of the engines are up and running, the cost of fuel will still be expensive. Congress has recently passed a bill to extended Daylight Saving Time by four weeks in the Mainland U.S. It is awaiting the President’s approval. This was part of an energy bill to help with conservation. I cannot think of a place more in need of conservation than the CNMI!

A little bit of background according to webexhibits.org, Daylight Saving Time (yes, it is Saving not Savings) was first conceived in 1784 by Ben Franklin, but not seriously considered until 1907. It has been a part of American and European culture since World War I when it was instituted to conserve fuel. President Franklin D. Roosevelt made Daylight Saving Time year-round for three years during World War II. In 1974-1975, President Richard M. Nixon signed into law an emergency measure to help during the energy crisis of the 1970s. There are approximately 70 countries that participate in some type of DST. This is not just something done in the United States.

Just as Canada and Mexico are now considering a change in order to stay with the U.S., we should involve Guam in planning this initiative. While Guam may not be in the same situation we are, they are still paying a higher price for their fuel due to the higher oil costs. If we do it together, it will make it easier to implement. Every little bit helps! For those who say it would be too confusing, I say that countries all over the world do not have a problem with this schedule other than people showing up an hour earlier or later the day after the change. I cant imagine anything as confusing as figuring out what day and time it is on the other side of the International Date Line, and we manage that everyday. I would think a one-hour change would be easy after dealing with that! If anything, I hope my suggestion encourages thought and discussion about how we can conserve our resources. It’s time to think about the not-so-typical solutions to our energy problems.

Kathryn Barry
I Denni