Why was Daylight Saving Time created?
According to Energy.gov, "8 Things You Didn't Know About Daylight Savings," a common myth associated with Daylight Savings Time (DST), was that it was created in order to give farmers more sunlight in the summer months. However, this point of view is incorrect. DST originated in response to World War I. The Library of Congress mentions that DST was "a way of conserving fuel needed for war industries and of extending the working day." It was a way to save energy costs. Congress passed legislation on March 19, 1918. The law established Daylight Saving Time and Standard Time for the United States. The Law Library of Congress points out that Standard Time was created by "dividing the U.S. into five zones according to their longitudinal degrees." The time zones include Standard Eastern Time, Central, Mountain, Pacific, and Alaska time.
However, DST did not last long. After WWI ended, Congress saw no need for the time change and repealed the law on August 20, 1919. This law terminated DST but the five time zones were still enforced. DST was reinforced again during WWII "to promote the national security and defense." Similarly, DST was retracted in 1945, when the war came to a close.
DST was reinstated in 1966 when Congress established that DST would be in effect from "the last Sunday in April through the last Sunday in October." It was reestablished due to the Uniform Time Act, which encouraged the "widespread and uniform adoption of the time zones" and acceptance of DST. Over the years, the law has been modified many times in correlation to the start and end times of DST. "In 1986, DST was extended by changing the beginning date to the first Sunday in April instead of the last."
Why is DST important?
DST is defined by the clocks moving forward an hour. This year, it is enforced from March 11th, 2018 at 2:00 AM through November 4, 2018 at 2:00 AM. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 was implemented in 2007 to reduce energy consumption by increasing DST by one month. Clocks move forward an hour when DST is enforced and move back an hour when switching to Standard Time (ST). The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) describes how clocks move "one hour from the evening to the morning" when switching from DST to ST, and how clocks move "one hour of daylight from morning to the evening" when converting ST to DST.
It is a confusing concept to grasp, but DST is important because not all states or countries practice it. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Hawaii, Arizona, and various U.S. overseas territories do not follow these time changes. In addition, NIST recorded that DST is in "effect for 65% of the year." The article, "History of Daylight Saving Time in Europe," provides data and statistics for countries that have used DST in the past and the present.
There is controversy regarding the relevance of DST. It is hard to understand why it is still enforced when it often creates negative affects. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mentions that "it takes the body up to a week to adjust" to the new time change and can lead to "sleep deprivation, reduction in performance," and an increase in "vehicle crashes." In addition, there is debate about whether DST actually saves energy. According to the New York Times article, "Daylight Saving Time Wastes Energy," it is argued that DST "reduces residential lighting, yet increases demand for heating and cooling."
With these considerations, many ask why DST is still enforced.
For more information:
NASA
Provides a chart depicting the dates and times when Daylight Saving Time is in effect in the United States and Europe from 2001 through 2015.
NIST
Provides a clock that displays the time for each time zone.
United States Department of Labor
Describes how work hours are calculated when individuals work during time changes.
~by Emily Hancz
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