The Time Change This Weekend Means More Daylight

The time change in the spring usually means two things to most people. They lose one hour of sleep but gain more hours of daylight until the time changes again in early November. This is the weekend we "spring forward" and set our clocks ahead one hour before going to bed Saturday night. Daylight saving time begins at 2:00 a.m. Sunday, March 9. Only Hawaii and parts of Arizona do not participate in daylight saving time. And no, there's no "s" at the end of saving. It's simply daylight saving time. The Time Change Began for a Reason Daylight saving time was first introduced with the Standard Time Act in 1918, designed to lower fuel costs during World War I. It also allowed the federal government to create five time zones. When World War I ended, the government stopped observing daylight saving time, then reinstated it during World War II. Congress decided then to make it permanent from 1973 to 1975 in an effort to conserve energy during the oil embargo crisis. It was in 1966 that Congress passed the Uniform Time Act, which standardized the length of daylight saving time. We still observe these dates... on the second Sunday in March and ending on the first Sunday in November. To this day, it's believed daylight saving time not only saves energy but also cuts down on traffic accidents and reduces overall crime. Is it Ever Going to End? It's a question that gets asked year after year. Will we ever just establish year-round daylight saving time and stop changing the clocks twice a year? The answer is still no. At least for now. President Donald Trump supports the idea, but any change would require congressional approval. By the way, a little more than a week after we change our clocks this week, we officially welcome spring. The vernal, or spring equinox, arrives at 4:01 a.m. Thursday, March 20.