Time to fall back! Daylight saving time ends Sunday, November 1, 2020. Don’t forget to turn your clocks back. And if you’re wondering why we have this traditional clock adjustment twice a year, here are a few bits of trivia about the history of daylight saving time.
- While it is commonly referred to as “daylight savings time,” the correct term is actually “daylight saving time.”
- It began initially as a way to conserve electricity needed for the war effort during World War I. Germany and Austria were the first to implement the practice, followed by the United Kingdom, several other European nations, and the United States. The United States implemented daylight saving time in 1918 and repealed it in 1919.
- President Franklin D. Roosevelt reinstituted daylight saving time in 1942, during World War II.
- Congress passed the Uniform Time Act in 1966 which standardized daylight saving throughout the United States.
- Dozens of countries still recognize daylight saving time but it is a controversial practice.
- In the United States, Hawaii and Arizona do not recognize daylight saving time. They use standard time year-round.
- There is no conclusive evidence that daylight saving results in energy conservation. A study conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation in 1970 found electricity savings to be about 1 percent during the spring and fall. However, more recent studies indicate that the increased use of air conditioning offsets the cost savings on lighting.
So turn those clocks back before you go to bed on Saturday night and enjoy an extra hour of sleep over the weekend.
