Daylight Saving Time Begins This Sunday,
March 10
Every spring, in most parts of the country, we turn the clocks an hour forward at 2 a.m. on the second Sunday in March, "losing" an hour of sleep. You've probably been doing this all your life — but what do you really know about daylight saving time (DST)?
Benjamin Franklin originally (jokingly?) suggested changing the time in an essay published in 1784.1, 2
In 1916, Germany became the first country to adopt DST nationwide1, but the city of Thunder Bay in Ontario, Canada, had already implemented it back in 1908.2
The U.S. adopted DST during World War I ... and then canceled it after the war. It didn't come back until the 1970s.1
Less than 40% of the countries in the world use DST.2
It's a myth that DST was instituted to "help" farmers.3 They have to get up pretty early in the morning, so that extra early daylight would probably suit them much better!
Yes, the delay until 2 a.m. is actually so most people will be asleep and won't notice the change happen.1
With more light in the evening, it's thought that we save money on electricity for lighting. However, a study in 2011 conducted when Indiana began changing the clocks found that household electricity costs went up by $9 million, and pollution also increased.
Who governs time in the U.S., including time zones and DST? The Department of Transportation, of course. Totally makes sense, right?4
We spend eight months of the year in DST, and only four in "standard time."4
About half of all the states are considering making DST the time standard year-round4, including Florida, Massachusetts, and California, but Congress has to allow it.2
Longer days mean more time for househunting. If you're feeling the itch to make a move, give us a call to discuss your financing options!