Why the US observed Daylight Saving Time – The Mercury News

By Katia Hetter and Stephen Mays | CNN

It's almost time to “turn back” the clocks an hour and gain an hour of sleep.

On the primary Sunday in November, clocks return one hour to plain time at 2 a.m. On the second Sunday in March at 2 a.m., clocks move forward one hour in many of the United States and plenty of other countries, remaining in what’s often known as Daylight Saving Time for nearly eight months.

The current March-November system that the U.S. follows was introduced in 2007, however the concept of “daylight conservation” is far older. Daylight saving time has its origins in train schedules, but was introduced in Europe and the United States during World War I to save lots of fuel and electricity U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

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Reasons for summer time

During most of World War II, the United States observed daylight saving time permanently. The idea was implemented Save fuel and keep things up to plain. When the war resulted in 1945, Gallup asked respondents how we should always tell time. Only 17% desired to keep what was then called “war time” all 12 months round.

During the energy crisis of the Nineteen Seventies, we tried again to permanently introduce daylight saving time within the winter of 1973/74. The idea, again, was to save lots of fuel. It was a preferred move in the course of the time of President Richard Nixon signed the law in January 1974. But at the top of the month Florida Governor had called for the law to be repealed after eight schoolchildren were hit by cars at nighttime. Schools across the country delayed the beginning of classes until the sun rose.

By the summer, public approval had fallen sharply, in early October Congress voted to return to plain time.

In the United States, states will not be required by law to “step back” or “step forward.” Hawaii, most of Arizona, and a few areas of the Pacific and Caribbean don’t observe daylight saving time. The twice-yearly change is as irritating to lawmakers of all political stripes because it is to the U.S. Senate passed the law in March 2022 to make daylight saving time everlasting. The bill was passed unanimously.

House lawmakers didn’t vote on the bill in 2022. On March 2, 2023, a dozen senators formed a bipartisan group reintroduced the laws This would end the time change in favor of everlasting daylight saving time. Companion laws to the Sunshine Protection Act was introduced by Rep. Vern Buchanana Republican from Florida, within the House of Representatives.

Why do we want daylight saving time?

The problem is that for each argument there may be a counter-argument. For example, there are studies that show that we have now this more automotive accidents when people lose an additional hour of sleep. There are also studies that show this Robberies are decreasing when there may be an additional hour of sunlight at the top of the day. We also know that folks are suffering more heart attacks in the beginning of summer time. But what about our mental health? People seem happier when there may be an additional hour of daylight.

Of course, there's also the economics that include all that outdoor fun within the sun. Although saving energy has often been cited as a reason for daylight saving time, the energy saved isn't much – if any.

Instead, lobbying efforts for DST got here primarily from various sectors of the economy. In the mid-Twentieth century, recreational sports industry lobbying groups (think driving ranges) wanted more customers to come back out after a day on the office. This is less complicated when there may be more light at the top of the day.

But the film industry didn't like daylight saving time. When it's light outside, you're less more likely to go to the flicks. Despite the parable, farmers also didn't prefer it since it made it difficult to get their food to market within the morning.

Bottom line: It's not clear whether having that extra hour of sunlight at the top of the day in comparison with the start is useful. It just is dependent upon who you might be and what you wish. And it doesn't appear to be daylight saving time goes away within the US anytime soon.

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