Tonight—well, technically tomorrow morning—we’ll lose an hour as we set our clocks forward to Daylight Saving Time (DST). What do you know about it?
Benjamin Franklin
If you ever saw the movie “National Treasure,” you heard the main characters credit Benjamin Franklin with DST. While ol’ Ben invented many things, this wasn’t one of them. The misconception that Franklin invented the concept comes from an article he wrote for the Journal de Paris in 1784.
In it, he encouraged people to wake up earlier, rising with the sun, so they could save money on candles and lamp oil in the evenings. In what could only be considered satirical advice, he suggested taxing homeowners for every window with shutters that blocked the sun. He also proposed placing guards in candle shops (to make sure no family bought more than one pound of candles per week) and on roads (to stop coaches driving after sunset, except those carrying medical professionals). And to make sure everyone practiced this early rising decree, he suggested that as soon as the sun rose all church bells be rung and a cannon in every street be fired.
Why DST
As seasons change, so does the amount of sunlight during any given day. The idea of changing the clocks to make better use of daylight was originally suggested by New Zealand scientist George Vernon Hudson in 1895. Hudson proposed a two-hour shift forward in March and a two-hour shift back in October. His idea drew interest, but that’s all.
In 1905, British builder William Willet also suggested turning clocks ahead in the spring and back in the fall. But instead of one clock change twice a year, he proposed eight twenty-minute changes. The first four (forward) would be made on the four Sundays in April and the last four (backward) would be made on the four Sundays in September. Though his idea gained attention, the British Parliament rejected it year after year.
Did You Know…
- As an entomologist, George Hudson wanted the additional hours of sunlight in the summer to study insects.
- Both Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Winston Churchill supported William Willett’s idea.
DST and the World
On April 30, 1916, the German Empire, as well as its Austrian ally, turned their clocks ahead one hour. They hoped to save fuel as World War I raged. Shortly after this, the U.K, France, and other countries followed suit.
While Germany and Austria became the first countries to use DST, they were not the first people to use it. That honor goes to the residents of Port Arthur, Ontario—now Thunder Bay—who turned their clocks forward one hour on July 1, 1908. Other Canadian cities soon followed Port Arthur’s example.
Did You Know…
- The correct name is “Daylight Saving—not Savings—Time.”
- The Manitoba Free Press reported in its April 3, 1916, edition that DST in Regina, Saskatchewan (introduced in 1914) “proved so popular that bylaw now brings it into effect automatically.”
- DST in Europe stopped at the end of WWI and didn’t resume until WWII began.
- DST is referred to as “Summer Time” in many Western European countries.
DST and the U.S.
In March 1918, Congress passed the Standard Time (ST) Act of 1918, which included rules for DST. However, after seven months, Congress caved to the American public’s dislike of the practice and repealed it.
The nationwide use of DST didn’t resume until February 1942 and WWII. As soon as the war ended, though, so too, did DST. The decades after the war held confusion as cities and states switched between ST and DST. Finally, Congress put a stop to the clock chaos when they passed the Uniform Time Act in 1966. It standardized DST in the U.S.
Did You Know…
- The agriculture industry lobbied against DST. (Animals and crops don’t watch clocks.)
- In 1942, when President Franklin Roosevelt re-established DST, he called it “War Time.” It was year-round and lasted until the end of September 1945.
- Hawaii and Arizona (except for the Navajo Nation) are the only two states that do not use DST.
- Individual U.S. states can either decline or accept the use of DST. However, they can’t use it permanently without federal laws changing.
DST Today
Only about 40% of the world utilizes DST. Why? Because not all countries benefit from sunlight in the same way. Those closer to the equator don’t have the same needs as countries further away.
There are pros and cons to using DST. Here are a few examples.
Crime. One study found robberies go down by up to 7% during DST, while pedestrian fatalities drop by up to 13%.
Health. A 2014 study concluded heart attacks increase by 24% the Monday after DST begins. Other studies found the risk of strokes, car accidents, and on-the-job injuries also increase.
In 2022, the U.S. Senate passed, unanimously, the Sunshine Protection Act, putting the nation permanently on DST. However, this Act has not yet been discussed in the House of Representatives. So, for you living in states where DST is practiced, don’t forget to turn your clocks ahead one hour tonight before going to bed.
Did You Know…
- Congress’ four-week extension of DST resulted in fewer robberies and saved annual legal, medical, and investigative costs to the tune of $59 million per year.
- Sleep, health, and circadian rhythm experts say keeping year-round DST is a bad idea.
- TV ratings fall during the first week of DST.
- The time change happens at 2 A.M. because that’s the time least likely to affect people and businesses.
- Though the beginning and ending dates vary, over 70 countries use DST, affecting over one billion people each year.