Daylight Saving Time (DST) begins Sunday, March 14, this year. We usually refer to the beginning of DST as “Spring Forward” because the clock moves one hour ahead, allowing there to be more light in the evening. Many people don’t know how we came to start changing our clocks twice a year. Well, let me tell you a bit about Daylight Saving Time in the United States.
Many mistakenly believe Benjamin Franklin was the mastermind behind the concept of Daylight Saving. However, this is a misconception stemming from an essay he wrote advocating for everyone waking up at dawn, instead of a specific time. He said it would boost the United States economy, saving millions of dollars. Although that idea has some similarities, official policy for Daylight Saving was not adopted until 1916 Germany as a method to save energy during World War I. The policy then quickly spread across Europe. In 1919, a Pittsburgh industrialist by the name of Robert Garland brought the idea to the United States, but it only lasted seven months. DST was reintroduced in the United States in 1942 by President Roosevelt during World War II. But, after the War ended in 1945, there was no federal law for Daylight Saving Time until the Uniform Time Act of 1966, which has been revised multiple times since to our current system.
Interestingly, two states, Hawaii and Arizona, do not observe Daylight Saving Time and stick to their local standard time year-round. There is definitely a push to end the clock-changing across the country. Since 2015, over 200 bills have been introduced in state legislatures across the country related to Daylight Saving Time. Those against using DST argue there is no proof of energy conservation, that it actually negatively affects health and that DST costs too much money.
On a personal level, if you’re like me, then you probably dread the idea of losing an hour of sleep. Even though I could simply go to bed a bit earlier, I always manage to wake up on the first day of DST feeling extra groggy and tired. However, all things considered, it will be nice to have more daylight later in the day. I always hate the fall and winter months when it is already getting dark by the time the workday is over. I miss the sunlight and being outdoors more often! Perhaps we don’t have a need to change the clocks twice a year.
What are your thoughts on Daylight Saving Time? Do you prefer springing forward or falling back?
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