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Remember to turn your clocks one hour ahead this weekend! Why? Let us tell you. . . We've learned to save energy and enjoy sunny summer evenings by switching our clocks an hour forward in the summer. Daylight Saving Time begins for most of the United States at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of April. In the U.S., each time zone switches at a different time. Note that it is Daylight Saving (singular) Time, not Daylight Saving"s" Time. We are saving daylight, so it is singular and not plural. During DST, clocks are turned forward an hour, effectively moving an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. Rationale & original idea The main purpose of Daylight Saving Time is to make better use of daylight. Studies done by the U.S. Department of Transportation show that Daylight Saving Time trims the entire country's electricity usage by a significant, but small amount, of less than one percent each day with Daylight Saving Time. We save energy in both the evening and the morning because we use less electricity for lighting and appliances. Daylight saving has been used in the United States since World War I, when the system was adopted in order to conserve fuel needed to produce electric power. During World War II, the United States observed year-round Daylight Saving Time. By 1966, some 100 million Americans were observing Daylight Saving Time based on their own local laws and customs. Congress decided to step in end the confusion and establish one pattern across the country. Daylight Saving Time was changed slightly in 1986 when President Reagan signed Public Law 99-359. It changed Daylight Saving Time from the last Sunday in April to the first Sunday in April. No change was made to the ending date of the last Sunday in October. So, enjoy your sunshine! |
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