Environment – StandUnited

June 27, 2023 Posted in Environment

Ditch the Switch: End Daylight Savings Time!

In fact, let’s end Daylight Savings Time with DST in effect.

DST became a “thing” in April 1966 when President Johnson signed the law. The Uniform Time Act established DST for the country and its possessions. States were allowed to opt out – Arizona and Hawaii don’t participate. Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, The Northern Mariana Islands, Guam and American Samoa also take a pass on the silliness of DST. Many states. including Utah, Maryland, California, South Carolina, Washington, Delaware, Maine, Arkansas, Tennessee, Oregon and Florida, have started to pass legislation to either skip DST or to maintain the time change permanently.

Inconsistent, state by state, departure from DST could be chaos. We need to ditch it nationally, consistently and quickly!

It’s not for farmers. Farmers were actually opposed to the time change when it was first tried in 1918. It made it more difficult for them to keep their schedules and get the most out of their labor force. Dairy cows don’t wear wrist watches and want to be milked at the same time, regardless.

Who benefits: Retail. With more daylight, we spend more money. We’re more likely to be out and about shopping, the true great American pastime, and out doing recreational activities.

We should stop messing with our health. Studies show a loss of sleep can lead to more car accidents, heart attacks, workplace injuries, suicides, miscarriages. Not to mention we see a loss of productivity after the Spring Ahead. In November, realistically, few people actually get to take advantage of the Fall Back extra hour because it can take a sleep cycle several days to a month to adjust. Plus? Teens get really cranky. And, if you’ve ever had a toddler during the DST switches, you know the nightmare it is adjusting their schedules too!

Doesn’t it save energy? Not much if any. The Department of Energy found the 0.5% total electricity use per day could be saved, but electricity use increased the closer to the equator you got. A study in Indiana in 2006 showed a 1% increase in electricity use, costing consumers $9 million a year. Other studies show the same trend: we use more electricity.

Let’s do this together, as one country: Ditch the Switch!

Dear lawmakers,
Let’s end Daylight Savings Time with DST in effect.

Inconsistent, state by state, departure from DST could be chaos. We need to ditch it nationally, consistently and quickly!

Let’s do this together, as one country: Ditch the Switch!

Sign Now!

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July 9, 2020 Posted in Environment

Congress : Stop the waste of tax dollars: Support commonsense flood-resilient infrastructure standards

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Petition By: The Pew Charitable Trusts

From 1980 to 2013 flooding disasters cost taxpayers more than $260 billion in damages while claiming lives and devastating communities. The problem has been amplified by our nation’s deteriorating infrastructure, which recently received a grade of D+ from the American Society of Civil Engineers. At a time when we need national leaders to support policies that make fiscally responsible use of taxpayer dollars, some in Congress are making an effort to repeal the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS). This critical policy ensures all federally funded infrastructure in flood-prone areas be constructed to better withstand the impacts of flooding.

As the nation continues to face increasing natural disaster threats and mounting pressures to reduce federal spending, reversal of this sensible standard would be shortsighted. The FFRMS is prudent policy intended to reduce our exposure to flood risk, wisely steward taxpayer dollars, and ensure the durability of our federal investments. Recent polling shows 82 percent of registered voters support the concept of the FFRMS, and broad support for the standard exists from organizations representing reinsurance businesses, civil engineers, and fiscal conservatives.

The FFRMS helps avoid the need to rebuild over and over in the aftermath of major storms by ensuring taxpayer dollars are invested once in infrastructure that is built to withstand today’s floods and tomorrow’s flood risk. Ask your Member of Congress to oppose repealing the FFRMS to make sure we build smarter and stronger before and after disasters.

To Congress:
Some Members of Congress are suggesting the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) be repealed. We urge you to oppose any actions that would undermine this critical policy that ensures all federally funded infrastructure projects in flood-prone areas are constructed to withstand the impacts of future flooding.
If enacted, H.R. 1558 would limit repeat losses and lessen the cost and impact of flooding nationwide on taxpayers, communities, and the federal government.

At a time when the nation is faced with increasing natural disaster threats and pressure to reduce federal spending, repealing the FFRMS would result in wasted taxpayer dollars spent on the vicious cycle of flood loss and repair.

As your constituents we urge you to not add your name those calling for repeal of the FFRMS.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

June 24, 2020 Posted in Environment

Congress: Break the costly cycle of repeated flooding and rebuilding!

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Petition By: The Pew Charitable Trusts

Among the millions of National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholders are thousands whose properties have flooded multiple times. There is no limit on the number of damage claims these policyholders can file, so they may flood and rebuild over and over.

Although these properties are small in number — historically representing just 1 percent of NFIP policies — the claims have an outsize financial impact, accounting for 25 to 30 percent of NFIP losses. Some of these repeatedly flooded properties have received payments worth more than their value. Over the years, NFIP losses for these repeatedly flooded properties has climbed to over $12 billion — nearly half of the program’s total debt.

And the problem has been growing, with the number of repeatedly flooded properties increasing by an estimated 5,000 per year. This vicious cycle of flooding and rebuilding puts communities at risk and will cost taxpayers billions more unless action is taken.

A solution to this problem is overdue.

The Repeatedly Flooded Communities Preparation Act (H.R. 1558), bipartisan legislation recently introduced by Representatives Ed Royce (R-CA) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), would require communities with significant numbers of repeatedly flooded properties to proactively reduce flood risk rather than simply rebuilding time and time again. Ask Congress to support this important legislation to stop the costly cycle of flooding and rebuilding. Take action today.

To Congress:
We are writing to ask you to support the Repeatedly Flooded Communities Preparation Act (H.R. 1558), a bill recently introduced by Representatives Ed Royce (CA) and Earl Blumenauer (OR), which would take an important step to address a long-standing serious issue involving properties that are continuously rebuilt after flooding.

If enacted, H.R. 1558 would limit repeat losses and lessen the cost and impact of flooding nationwide on taxpayers, communities, and the federal government.

As your constituents, we urge you to support this important bill and make sure it is included in this year’s National Flood Insurance Program reauthorization.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]