By: Amber Lau
We’ve all heard of daylight savings, and know the basics of it, but did you know that there is lots of controversy surrounding the topic? Daylight savings is the practice of setting clocks forward one hour from standard time during the spring, and back one hour during the fall. This is done to make better use of the daylight during summertime, and to even save some energy.
Today, 70 countries observe daylight savings time, including parts of South America, Europe, North America, and New Zealand. In the United States, Hawaii and Arizona are the only two states that do not observe daylight savings, while the other 48 do. Many people believe this is a great way to make more use of daylight during the spring and summer months, however, some believe otherwise, wanting to abolish daylight savings permanently.
Daylight savings was first invented during World War I as a way to preserve energy and fuel. Today, we see many more benefits and effects caused by this. In addition to saving energy from the increase of daylight and decrease of artificial light usage, it can help to prevent car accidents. Studies show that there is a decrease in accidents on the road due to the increased daylight, since most car accidents occur when it is dark. Turning the clocks forward an hour during the spring and summer seasons leads to longer evenings and more opportunities to be outside. Summertime is about enjoying the outdoors and long days, and the brighter nights help with that! I think we can all agree that it’s the best feeling when the sunset occurs later and later.
Although there are many who love daylight savings, there are some who believe it is negative and problematic. They argue that changing the clocks disturbs routine and sleep schedules. The change can cause tiredness among many, which may lead to more car accidents. The change in sleep patterns can also cause illness, and studies have shown that it has led to an increased risk of heart attacks and miscarriages. People also argue that daylight savings only saves a small amount of energy, and some don’t believe that it is worth its negative effects. Some parents dislike daylight savings because of the safety risks for their children. It causes darker mornings in the cooler seasons, which can lead to risk for danger when kids are heading to school. Whether it be for safety or medical issues, many have reasons for strongly disliking daylight savings, and some have even gone as far as signing a petition to get rid of it!
Daylight savings is more of a controversial topic than you may think. People around the world have their strong opinions that they stand by. Daylight savings affects the environment, as well as the daily lives of people. It all depends on perspective. Whether you love or hate daylight savings, it is something that will occur twice every year during the summer and fall seasons. Daylight savings provides both positive and negative effects, but for now, it will continue to be observed all around the world!