Daylight Savings Time (DST) is the practice of setting clocks ahead by one hour in the spring to provide an additional hour of daylight with time reset in the fall.
Why Was Daylight Savings Time Created?
The theory of Daylight Savings Time was conceived in London in 1905 by a prominent English builder and outdoorsman William Willett. He noted that a large number of Londoners slept through the early part of summer days. Also, being a golfer, he was tired of having to end his game at dusk. He lobbied for the idea to be put in place for many years, but died in 1915 before it’s acceptance in Europe in1916.
Daylight Savings Time began in the U.S. in 1918 after the U.S. joined World War I in 1917. Its original intention was to conserve fuel needed to produce electric power. There have been many changes regarding DST over the years, each president having different levels of support or disdain for the practice. There is not worldwide acceptance of DST and, it is not observed in Hawaii or Arizona (except for the Navajo Nation where it is observed).
In 2007, the savings time period was elongated by 4 weeks in compliance with the Energy Policy Act of 2005. For the U.S. states that participate, it begins on the second Sunday of March at 2 A.M. Why 2 AM? To cause the least amount of business disruption and prevent today from becoming yesterday when clocks are turned back in the fall.
Daylight Savings Time Pros and Cons
There seems to be a shorter list of pros than cons, but no talk about nixing Daylight Savings Time.
Pros:
- Longer hours for leisure activity such as sports and gardening
- A claim of reduced energy consumption due to less lighting required in the evening
- Retailers and other businesses see additional business due to extra daylight
- After the initial change, a reduction in automobile accidents due to better visibility
- May be beneficial in combating depression and SAD
- Additional sunlight triggers Vitamin D synthesis in the skin
- A study done in Washington DC in 1970 showed a 10-13% reduction in crime
Cons:
- Discourages the Early Bird Theory
- Offset to reduced evening lighting energy consumption by morning lighting and evening cooling consumption
- Adverse effects for farmers and harvesting practices
- Hurts prime-time broadcast ratings and theatre attendance
- An increase in fatal automobile accidents immediately after time change due to possible sleep disruptions
- GMAC Insurance regularly warns their customers that pedestrians are three times more likely to be killed in the month during the Daylight Savings switch
- Additional sunlight hours can increase skin cancers
- Changing clocks affects scheduling for travel and meetings and can cause computer downtime
- Sleep disorders due to disruption of circadian rhythm.
- A 2008 study showed male suicide rates rise in the immediate weeks of spring transition
- A 2008 Swedish study found heart attacks increased during the first 3 days of spring transition
Does Daylight Savings Time Really Reduce Energy Consumption?
In 2005, Indiana was swayed to establish DST statewide, in hopes of saving their residents a projected $7 million in electricity costs. Scientists from the University of California in Santa Barbara, however, determined that over a three year period, the citizens of Indiana instead spent $8.6 million more due to extra afternoon cooling, as well as caused an increase to emissions which is estimated to cost between $1.6 million and $5.3 million.
Whether or not it makes sense, that Sunday will soon be here, so be ready to save some daylight by adjusting every clock forward by one hour. And don’t forget the computer!
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