Why Do We Change The Clocks Back And Forward?

Answer 1

Well, use to they did it for the farmers so they could get out in the fields earlier. Now they just do it because we always have. I have heard they are suppose to stop the time change but I don't know when

Answer 2

Daylight Saving Time, or Summer Time as it is known in Britain, was invented by William Willett (1857 - 1915), who was a London builder living in Petts Wood in Kent. In 1907 he circulated a pamphlet to many Members of Parliament, town councils, businesses and other organisations, he outlined that for nearly half the year the sun shines upon the land for several hours each day while we are asleep, and is rapidly nearing the horizon, having already passed its western limit, when we reach home from work before it is over.

His proposal was to improve health and happiness by advancing the clocks twenty minutes on each of four Sundays in April, and by reversing this idea by the same amount on four Sundays in September. He reckoned that it would not only improve health and Happiness but it would save the country £2.5 million pounds, that was also taking into account the loss of earnings to the producers of artificial light.

Though the scheme was ridiculed and met with considerable opposition a Daylight Saving Bill was introduced in 1909, though it met with no success before war broke out.

In April, 1916, Daylight Saving Time was introduced as a wartime measure of economy, not only in Britain but, within a week or so, in nearly all countries, both allied and enemy. Sadly, William had died the previous year so never saw his idea put into effect.

Most countries abandoned Daylight Saving Time after the war had finished , most reintroduced it eventually, and some even began to keep it throughout the year.

In 1968 to 1971 Britain tried the experiment of keeping BST - to be called British Standard Time - throughout the year, largely for commercial reasons because Britain would then conform to the time kept by other European Countries. This was not good for the school children of Scotland as it meant they had to always go to School in the dark. The experiment was eventually abandoned in 1972, Britain has kept GMT in winter and BST in summer.

Answer 3

We change the clocks back and forward, in order to legally coincide with what they call daylight savings time. In the fall we gain daylight in the morning, and in the spring we gain daylight at night, I think in order so that families can have more daylight time with their loved ones in warmer weather, when people tend to be outside more.

It confusing and a pain when you have to set the clocks either backward or forward, but overall, I feel it is a good program.

Answer 4

When we change our clocks
Since 1966, most of the United States has observed Daylight Saving Time from at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of April to 2:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of October. Beginning in 2007, most of the U.S. will begin Daylight Saving Time at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday in March and revert to standard time on the first Sunday in November. In the U.S., each time zone switches at a different time.

In the European Union, Summer Time begins and ends at 1:00 a.m. Universal Time (Greenwich Mean Time). It begins the last Sunday in March and ends the last Sunday in October. In the EU, all time zones change at the same moment.

> See more information about elsewhere in the world.


Spring forward, Fall back

During DST, clocks are turned forward an hour, effectively moving an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening.

Date change in 2007

On August 8, 2005, President George W. Bush signed the Energy Policy Act of 2005. This Act changed the time change dates for Daylight Saving Time in the U.S. Beginning in 2007, DST will begin on the second Sunday in March and end the first Sunday in November. The Secretary of Energy will report the impact of this change to Congress. Congress retains the right to resume the 2005 Daylight Saving Time schedule once the Department of Energy study is complete.

Answer 5

Forward to Save Daylight, it's to save energy and reduce household pollution like greenhouse gasses. Back we get more sleep and since the sun goes down early during the winter. In summer the Sun stays out longer.

Answer 6

Oh, the "daylight savings time". I have been in the US my whole life and as far as I can tell, the government thinks it is better to be lighter in the morning than in the early evening. I do not like it at all when it is dark at 5:30 P.M. I wish our decision makers would let nature take it's course and be light and dark when it wants to. Every year I have a hard time adjusting to the change. AAAAH.

Answer 7

To compensate with the tilt of the earths axis, to compensate with the amount of light we expierianced during the day. Hopeless for Alaskans, and Antarticans. Soon most of us will have automatic atomic clocks, that have a preset calander. On the 'flip side" why are the time zones placed where they are on the map?

Answer 8

It started years ago so that farmers could have a longer working day in the summer.

Answer 9

It was originally to give farmers more hours of daylight for growing crops.

Answer 10

To keep up with the seasons changing (longer days/shorter nights etc...)