A People Divided
Very soon, a monumental, extremely divisive event will be happening. Some folks will be extremely happy after the event, and others will be very sad. The love-it-or-hate-it occasion of which we speak is the bi-annual changing of the clocks. On November 1, 2020, Daylight Saving Time (DST) ends and Californians will gain an hour of sleep in the morning at the expense of losing an hour of daylight in the afternoon. In anticipation of the return to Standard Time, we have gathered some clock-moving facts to share.
Clock Change Trivia
- Blame Ben Franklin. Benjamin Franklin advocated changing the clocks way back in 1784. He wrote an essay that included the argument that more daylight hours would be economical because it would result in less candle usage. As someone hailed as the “inventor of electricity,” this reasoning seems ironic as well as short-sighted. Thanks to Mr. Franklin, in 2020 we are still living with the repercussions of an attempt to conserve candle wax.
- It Creates Worldwide Confusion. Different countries change their clocks on different days. This fact can result in confusion for family members trying to figure out a polite time to call international relatives. Brazilians changed their clocks on October’s third Saturday, and Israelis usually change clocks on the last Sunday of October.
- The BBQ Industry and Hershey Love Daylight Saving Time. Falling back usually occurs near Halloween, and in previous years would sometimes result in a darker holiday. In 2007, many within the United States, including candy manufacturers, pushed to have the fall time change occur after Halloween since more daylight hours meant more time for kids to trick-or-treat. The makers of outdoor grills are also big proponents of more daylight hours due to profit reasons. In 1986, the United States tacked an extra month onto Daylight Saving Time, and that translated into an estimated $100 million in additional sales of BBQ and grill-related goods.
- The Television Industry Does Not Love Daylight Saving Time. Less daylight means more TV watching. When it gets dark early during Standard Time, more people come home from work and relax on the couch in front of the television. Ratings support this phenomenon as viewership of popular shows drops dramatically following the spring time change.
- Hawaii and Arizona Do Not Participate. Despite having voted to remain on Daylight Saving Time year-round, for now, California still participates in the ritual. However, since 1968, the state of Arizona has not. Residents of the state say it does not make much difference to them other than some may have to start work earlier in order to accommodate clients in other states. Hawaii opted out of the clock-changing because its tropical latitude provided no reason to extend daylight hours.
- It May or May Not Save Energy. Whether Daylight Saving Time reduces energy usage depends on who you ask. The United States Department of Transportation says electricity use throughout the country is reduced by 1% daily during DST. However, a University of California, Santa Barbara study found the opposite to be true – that electricity consumption actually increased between 1 and 4 percent during DST.
Watch the YouTube video from National Geographic on the topic of Daylight Saving Time.
Sacramento Car Accident Attorney
Thanks for reading. I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento car accident attorney. Time changes can be disorienting and lead to distracted or fatigued driving. If you have been injured in an accident caused by a negligent driver, an experienced car accident lawyer may be able to help. For free and friendly advice, call us at (916) 921-6400 or toll-free at (800) 404-5400 to speak with a case manager or injury lawyer at AutoAccident.com.
I have been a tireless legal advocate for injured Northern Californians for close to 40 years. Please take a moment to review our Verdicts and Settlements page for some of our firm’s successful case conclusions.
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/lamp-oil-lamp-nostalgia-old-2903830/
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