Written By: Noelle Schneider

Daylight Savings Time (DST) has an interesting history that dates back over a century. The concept of adjusting clocks during seasons to make better use of daylight was first suggested by Benjamin Franklin in 1784 to save candle wax as there was a shortage. 

It wasn’t until the early 20th century that the Modern concept of DST really stuck and took hold. The modern concept was first introduced by George Vernon Hudson in New Zealand in 1895 as he proposed a two-hour time shift forward in October and a two-hour time shift back in March. During this time a British builder William Willett had the idea and suggested turning clocks forward 20 minutes every fourth Sunday in April and do the reverse in September. Willet’s idea became popular but was never implemented during his lifetime. 

The first widespread adoption of DST started during World War I when Germany and its allies needed a way to conserve coal during wartime. Britain, its allies, and many other European nations soon followed. The United States didn’t adopt DST until 1918, and was only there for the duration of the war which was shortly repealed after. DST then saw a boom during World War II when President Franklin D. Roosevelt instituted a year-round DST in the United States that was known as “War Time” from February 9 to September 30. After the war, the practice was left to the decision of local jurisdictions, which left a patchwork of timekeeping practices throughout the country. This confusion led to the Uniform Time Act of 1966, which helped standardized the start and end dates of DST. The United States however gave the states the option to opt out in which some states such as Arizona and Hawaii chose to do. 

The main reason behind DST has been to make better usage of daylight during the long summer days. By shifting an hour of daylight from the morning, people would be able to reduce their usage of artificial lighting and conserve energy. Although the effectiveness of energy conservation has been a topic of debate as some studies suggest that energy savings are minimal or even nonexistent, as Las Lomas science teacher Ms. Polivka says she does not like DST as “it makes it so that I can’t be with my kids outside in the evening.” Beyond energy components DST can provide more daylight for outdoor activities in the evening which can improve public health and safety. Longer daylight hours can lead to more physical activities and a reduced amount of traffic accidents. On the other hand, DST does have its downsides, as it can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to health issues such as an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. The change can also cause confusion, particularly for those who work across different time zones. It also makes it hard for families with younger kids to be able to be outside during the evening. Whether DST is important or not depends entirely on one’s perspective. While it does have a historical significance and benefits it also has its drawbacks.