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Most people view Daylight Saving Time as a necessary evil, an inconvenience that gives us an extra hour of sleep in October and robs us of an hour of sleep in April. Spring forward, fall back, lose an hour, gain an hour. Is there any reason for the constant changing of the clock? What are the benefits, if any, of changing time?
Daylight Saving Time is not a new concept, and the idea behind it is a simple one. During the warmer months, there is more sunlight during the day. Consequently, with more sunlight during the day, there is less need for electric lights, so energy is conserved.
The concept of Daylight Saving Time was first put into print by Benjamin Franklin. While serving as a delegate in Paris in 1784, Franklin wrote "An Economical Project," deducing that between March 20th and September 20th there was substantially more sunlight. Therefore, if Paris were to rise earlier, its citizens could save money by burning less candles and oil for lamps.
Daylight Saving Time did not gain significant momentum again until 1907 when London builder William Willett proposed in the pamphlet The Waste of Daylight thai clocks should be advanced 20 minutes each of the four Sundays in April and retarded by the same amount on four Sundays in September. The current standard for Daylight Saving Time took effect in 1987. Presently, Daylight Saving Time begins on the first Sunday in April and ends on the last Sunday in October. However, the effects of change know no limits, as clocks must be reset from time to time.
Congressmen Fred Upton (R-MI) recently proposed that the U.S. change its clocks a little differently in the future. Upton, senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, introduced an amendment to the Energy Policy Act of 2005...