Columns
Friday, February 29, 2008
common sense on: daylight saving time
With Iowa Senator Tom Harkin
When is Daylight Saving Time?
Most of the United States transitions to Daylight Saving Time (DST) at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday in March (March 9, 2008) and returns to standard time on the first Sunday in November (November 2, 2008). I like the terms ‘springing forward’ and ‘falling back’ when I need to change my clock. The United States and many European countries have used DST since World War I, and The Uniform Time Act of 1966, signed into law April 12, 1966, by President Lyndon Johnson, officially created Daylight Saving Time.
Why Do We Change Our Clocks?
The main purpose of DST is to make better use of daylight by “moving” an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. DST also saves energy, because the demand for electricity is directly related to the times when people go to bed at night and wake up in the morning. In the average home, 25 percent of electricity is used for lighting and small appliances, such as TVs, VCRs, and stereos, and a good percentage of that energy is consumed in the evening when families are home. By moving the clock ahead one hour, the amount of electricity consumed each day decreases as people are more likely to take advantage of the extra daylight by spending time outdoors.
How Should I Adjust to Daylight Saving Time?
Even though DST is only an hour adjustment, it can cause a temporary disruption in sleeping patterns. Change all your clocks Saturday before you go to bed and avoid thinking that it is really an hour later or earlier. Go to bed at your normal time Sunday night and rise at your normal time Monday morning. By that time you should be well adjusted to the change. Changing your clocks can also serve as a good reminder to check and replace the batteries in your smoke detectors – which happen to be the single most effective tool for surviving a home fire. According to the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the smoke detector is missing or not working in three-fourths of fatal fires nationwide. Checking your smoke detectors along with changing your clocks can prove to be a “Life Saving Time” as well.
