When do the clocks change?
We all know that clocks don’t really change: We just move the hands forward or backwards one hour. But why do we do that? And when?
You’re probably reading this article to find out so fasten your seatbelt and here goes.
Welcome to Daylight Saving Time 101.
The day on which we welcome Daylight Saving Time or revert back to Standard Time isn’t exactly a holiday and it’s moved around quite a bit over the years. Unless similar events like New Year’s Day and the Fourth of July, this august set of events is more akin to Thanksgiving, which takes place on the fourth Thursday of November.
The move to Daylight Saving Time has taken place on the second Sunday in March since 2007. On that day, clocks spring forward by one hour as does time the time the sun sets.
In autumn, Daylight Saving Time ends on the first Sunday of November, when clocks revert back to standard time.
Meanwhile, on the European continent and in the United Kingdom, the clocks advance by one hour on the last Sunday in March, and fall back on the last Sunday in October.
In 2024, Daylight Saving Time will begin on March 10 in the United States. Summer Time, as it’s referred to in Europe, starts on March 31.
Now we can move onto why we do it.
Daylight Saving Time is a system of managing the changing amounts of daylight that occur during the year, with a goal of maximizing daylight hours during the typical workday. It was first proposed in a somewhat jocular manner by Benjamin Franklin in a 1784 essay entitled “An Economical Project for Diminishing the Cost of Light,” wherein he calculated how much the citizens of Paris would save on candles by starting the day earlier. No one is sure if the good Dr. Franklin actually believed people would actually do this. In fact, we on the editorial staff believe not.
However, Daylight Saving Time was not broadly adopted until the early twentieth century when Germany became the first country to introduce it, on April 30, 1916, a move quickly followed by several other European nations including France and the United Kingdom.
The United States first established Daylight Saving Time in 1918 as an energy-saving measure.
By setting clocks ahead by an hour, people typically have more daylight available during the workday. Since in the spring the sun rises earlier each day, an individual who typically wakes at 7 a.m. would have to rise at 6 a.m. to take advantage of the additional daylight. Instead, by moving the clock ahead by one hour, that person can continue to rise at 7 a.m. and enjoy more daylight in the early evening hours.
In broadly terms, the reduced use of artificial overhead lighting saves a lot of electricity. Additionally, since Americans are able to spend more time outside during the dog days of summer, there’s theoretically less energy being used to power the TV or lower the AC thermostat. However, as devices become more energy efficient, the savings have become debatable.
So, when do we revert to Standard Time.
Daylight Savings Time – as we noted earlier – ends on the first Sunday in November. In 2024, that would be November 7. In Europe, Winter Time begins on the last Sunday of October, which would be October 27.
Now, class, are there any questions?
(Photo: Accura Media Group)
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