Is Daylight Saving Time (DST) really saving us anything?
In the beginning, it seemed that it was. When it originally came into effect in the United States during World War I, the purpose was to conserve fuel for various forms of artificial power. Once the war ended, however, the law was so unpopular that it was repealed, save for a few scattered cities.
DST was brought back again during World War II. This time, it stuck around. After a bit of fine-tuning over the years, DST finally took on the schedule we know today – stealing an hour on the second Sunday in March and giving it back on the first Sunday in November.
On the one hand, energy is saved on long summer evenings by requiring the use of fewer artificial light fixtures. On the other hand, these same long hours of sunlight have people turning on their air-conditioners earlier.
It’s not necessary to turn on the lights so early on winter afternoons, but more lights must be turned on sooner every cold, dark morning.
Recent research also shows that DST causes an increase in traffic accidents. More walkers are getting hit in the evening hours the week following the “fall back” in November. Risk drops in the morning due to the dark and the cold, but doesn’t offset the increase in risk at night. Not to mention the Monday after DST sees an increase in car accidents due to sleep deprivation.
Farmers – one rumored subject of the cause and benefit of the time change – are some of its most avid opponents. Regardless of when the sun rises, farmers are up at the scheduled time and their animals are unable to adjust to the change for several weeks, giving the farmers much grief.
Not to mention the most familiar protests – it’s inconvenient It can take days – weeks, even, for those with sleep disorders –to adjust to this change, leaving a decrease in their work productivity in their wake.
In the end, Daylight Saving Time isn’t saving us anything. Whatever benefit the time change once gave us has long since run its course. Across the globe, numerous countries have dropped the practice of DST. Arizona has already followed the lead. It’s time the rest of us do, too.
