The beginning of Daylight Saving Time means it’s time to set your clocks ahead one hour this weekend. The new time takes effect 2:00 Eastern Sunday morning. Americans perform this ritual twice a year because of a suggestion made by Benjamin Franklin back in the year 1784. It was first enacted by the federal government in 1918 to save coal during World War One. The on-and-off again practice of setting timepieces forward in the spring and backward in the fall was finally standardized and signed into law in 1966. The idea is to make better use of Daylight and to conserve energy.
Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe Daylight Saving Time. Several other states are considering doing away with the twice-a-year practice of changing clocks and staying on Daylight Saving Time permanently. The change would require approval by Congress. For now, don’t forget to set all your clocks ahead one hour before you go to bed this Saturday night or you just might be late to work on Monday morning.
