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4 Surprising Facts About Daylight Saving Time

No, it wasn’t started by Benjamin Franklin. And we don't do it for the farmers. Here are four surprising facts about daylight saving time. ⏰

What you might not know about daylight saving time

Historical origins - Day Savings Time was not invented by Benjamin Franklin, he merely suggested Parisians change their sleep schedules to save money on candles and lamp oil. Intended to benefit U.S. farmers. The sun, not a clock, has always dictated farmers’ schedules. The cows don’t wake up any earlier to milk. Daylight saving time in the U.S. started as an energy conservation trick during WWI.

It’s not for everyone - Arizona and Hawaii opted out of the Uniform Time Act – the law that standardized DST. Arizona doesn't for the practical reason that when summer temperatures soar in the desert, they prefer it to get dark and cool off earlier. Hawaii also refrains, because it's so much closer to the equator than the rest of the country.

Some states voted to opt out: California, Florida, Arkansas, Washington, Tennessee, Oregon, Nevada and Alabama. 8 states passed bills to make daylight saving time permanent. But they haven’t gone into effect. In 1966, then-Tennessee Senator Frank Gorrell said “For the economic, recreational and social benefit of our state, we must have daylight time.” Even Donald Trump supports the idea, TWEET: “Making Daylight Saving Time permanent is O.K. with me!” The European Parliament has also voted to abolish clock changes by 2021.

The benefits of DST - Yet some experts consider it gives people a better quality of life. It reduces traffic accidents. It reduces energy usage and spreads the use of energy over the day. It reduces outdoor crime like mugging and breaking and entering and it's very good for public health because it gets people outdoors in the beautiful spring, summer and fall evenings – rather than sitting home and watching TV another hour. So, there's a lot of great benefits of daylight-saving time. David Prerau, Daylight Saving Time expert concludes.

Brut.

11/02/2019 11:58 AM

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25 comments

  • Carrolyne C.
    11/30/2019 19:18

    I hate the time changing back and forth....Spring forward in the spring...Fall back in the fall.....Doesn't save anything, we are a Nation of some companies that run 1st, 2nd and 3rd shifts so energy is used 24/7...What exactly does it save? I don't know of anyone who looks at the clock before deciding to turn on their lights....Set it one way and leave it alone please!!!!! One Senator tried about 2 years ago to stop DST but couldn't get anyone to help him get the bill passed....Just my opinion....

  • Nathaniel C.
    11/30/2019 15:05

    All depends of what kind of person you are in life!. If you are just sitting in a sofa all day long watching TV, you don’t really care about daylight saving!.

  • Alan S.
    11/29/2019 14:53

    This is a fact that is never talked about. People on the east side of the time zone like DST and people on the west side of the time zone hate. More votes on the east side of the time zone is why we have it. Simple as that

  • Tyler J.
    11/26/2019 21:05

    That old man is blitzed

  • Lindsey K.
    11/24/2019 18:04

    I personally don't really think it matters either way. I'm 35 its it always been this way, and it doesn't really matter what time it is during the winter months to me because I for 1 can't stand the cold so I'm inside more than not anyway lol

  • Alex V.
    11/23/2019 16:25

    ummmm me😂

  • Colin B.
    11/22/2019 23:56

    Benjamin Franklin suggested it. And we started using it in WW1

  • Beth P.
    11/21/2019 23:26

    I vote that when we spring ahead that we then leave it the heck alone and and leave fall back time behind us all

  • Georgia O.
    11/21/2019 17:41

    When a person has a sleeping disorder, it plays hell with it . I for one hate time change .

  • Deborah M.
    11/19/2019 21:37

    So much for winter when it is dark all the time.

  • Richard C.
    11/19/2019 01:04

    WHY DONT THEY DO 30 MIN. ALL THE TIME AND LEAVE LIKE THAT

  • Kim W.
    11/17/2019 19:13

    SO, daylight savings time is a socialist program. Take that trumpers :P

  • Nicole R.
    11/17/2019 04:28

    I love to spring forward not fall back ,when it gets dark at like 5pm it gets depressing and makes days feel so much shorter.

  • Jerry J.
    11/17/2019 02:01

    Split that hr in half and leave it be

  • Richard C.
    11/16/2019 19:09

    Do it talk talk do it nope

  • Tom T.
    11/13/2019 00:35

    I like it. Year round would be better

  • Lloyd M.
    11/09/2019 14:59

    He could have saved the it stop crime part

  • David B.
    11/09/2019 08:42

    don't need this

  • Susanna C.
    11/09/2019 04:34

    I Love it.

  • Renee D.
    11/06/2019 19:24

    BS I hate it