Hopefully, most of us remembered to turn our clocks back one hour and our clocks reflect the correct time. We enjoy this change of the clock because we get an extra hour of sleep. (WOO HOO!)
But can someone honestly explain why we do this? And does everybody do this? You've got questions, we've got answers:
The history behind DST:
* The Standard Time Acts of 1918 began our clock changing. It was repealed a year later, but re-established in World War II.
* The Uniform Time Act of 1966 provided dates of the beginning and end of daylight time in the U.S. The act provided that daylight time begin on the last Sunday in April and end on the last Sunday in October, with the changeover to occur at 2 a.m. local time.
* During the "energy crisis" years, Congress enacted earlier starting dates for daylight time. In 1974, daylight time began on January 6th and in 1975 it began on February 23rd.
* In 1986, a law was passed that shifted the starting date of daylight time to the first Sunday in April, beginning in 1987. The ending date of daylight time was not subject to such changes, and remained the last Sunday in October.
* The Energy Policy Act of 2005 changed both the starting and ending dates. Beginning in 2007, daylight time starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.
What a mess right? And for what? I found these reasons online. * It shifts summer daylight to evening hours, when it can be enjoyed more. I think this is a good reason.
* It saves energy, because people don’t use their lights as much in the evening. Back when lights were the main use of energy, I think this was a bigger justification.
* It reduces accidents, because people are less likely to be driving in the dark. Hm.
And remember,
Not all places in the U.S. observe daylight time. Hawaii and most of Arizona do not use it.
My head is spinning.
What do you think about DST? Do you think its useful or pointless?
Comments (11)
I think it comes in handy. Though it isa bit weird they kept a wartime thing, its a wartime idea.
how about indiana?
We need to get like Arizona and just leave the damn time alone, it only confuses people, makes you take an extra 10 minutes to rechange your microwave and
every otherclock in your house aside from your cell phones which are automatic.
pointless. i hate it. it gets confusing.
I'm from Hawai`i and when I went to Oregon for college, I totally missed the memo about daylight savings time because we don't have it here. So that morning it changed, I had a rehearsal I needed that started at 8, but I needed to be there at 6. So I got up hours before I really needed to and I wasn't only tired, I was pissed. >_<
I like not having to think about it.
@Jubilantlaughter@xanga - My cell phone actually doesn't change automatically...I forgot about this last night though and woke up an hour early for church this morning (I use it as an alarm). haha, oh well.
I think they should probably just leave the time alone, but meh, whatever.
I live in Miami, and I can see the benefits of changing the clock there. But now I go to school in upstate New York, where it gives me way less time. Last year the sun would set at 4:30 pm during the winter. I would get out of class and it would be dark.
dont know but i love the extra hour of sleep and it gets dark faster.
i don't see the point of it
@indiabrittany@xanga - its useless that's why LOL
@azashi@xanga - agreed