A new study by engineers at Cambridge University has found that turning the clocks back each winter causes an increase in Britains carbon dioxide emissions. They found that we use an extra 5% electricity generating millions more tonnes of CO2 emissions!! This also means that our electricty bills increase as well.
The findings stated that there is a surge in energy use between 4 and 6pm when people are returning from work. Britain can only meet these surges by switching on a less efficient back-up from oil fired power plants. These plants take longer to cool down thus increasing emissions.
The author of the report, Elizabeth Garnsey, estimates that since the decision to turn the clocks back in 1971, an extra 46million tonnes of CO2 has been released.
Considering these facts it may be worth getting in touch with your MP and stating an interest in staying with British Summer Time rather than switching to Greenwich Mean Time. Even better would be to put the clocks forward another hour. This would give us more daylight in the evenings. After all what difference would it really make? It would also save approximately 104 road deaths a year due to driving in the dark.
It would be good to hear your comments on this.
