There's a DOE study that shows extending DST saves energy and also has no statistically significant effect on fuel consumption... So this $480m "lost" productivity is potentially offset by energy savings across the US.
I'm also less inclined to believe the RescueTime productivity number when they take their own solid figures on user involvement and then mix them in with a few SWAGs to come up with what people now believe is a solid figure. Once you throw BS into the recipe you've spoiled the final product.
From the DOE report---
Changes in national traffic volume and motor gasoline consumption for passenger vehicles in 2007 were determined to be statistically insignificant and therefore, could not be attributed to Extended Daylight Saving Time.
I'm also less inclined to believe the RescueTime productivity number when they take their own solid figures on user involvement and then mix them in with a few SWAGs to come up with what people now believe is a solid figure. Once you throw BS into the recipe you've spoiled the final product.
From the DOE report--- Changes in national traffic volume and motor gasoline consumption for passenger vehicles in 2007 were determined to be statistically insignificant and therefore, could not be attributed to Extended Daylight Saving Time.
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/ba/pba/pdfs/epact_sec_110_edst_r...