Who Saves Daylight?

The history of Daylight Savings Time began in Germany during World War 1, with the idea that it could replace artificial lighting to save fuel for the war effort.  This was in 1916, and many other countries including the United States joined.  Though most countries reverted back to standard time post-World War 1, the idea was not lost.  World War II struck in 1943, and once again, the idea of Daylight Savings Time, or DST, would make its return to many countries in order to save vital energy for the war.  President Franklin D. Roosevelt instituted a year-round DST in the United States called “War Time” during this time.  Daylight saving was recognized as one of the most efficient energy saving aspects during the war.  After almost twenty years of confusion, Congress finally established an act called the Uniform Time Act of 1966, stating that DST would begin on the last Sunday of April and end on the last Sunday of October.  Though states could opt out of this DST by passing a local ordinance, most did not.  In 1975, it was proven that DST would save the equivalent in energy of 10,000 barrels of oil each day.

Present day DST currently affects over a billion people each year.  Although many countries participate, the beginning and end dates are often different than the United States.  Throughout the years, the United States has changed the schedule of when DST actually starts.  Naturally, Congress came up with another act known as the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which extended the period by about one month where DST starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.  Currently every state, with the exception of Hawaii and Arizona participate in this DST change each year.  Most recently in 2007, a new law to extend DST to the first sunday in November was put into effect in hopes of decreasing deaths during the Halloween season, with the purpose of providing trick-or-treaters more light as well as providing more light decreasing traffic accidents.