why was daylight savings so early this year?

Answer 1

Hello, ~me~.

It may not be clear from the previous answers why daylight savings time saves energy. The following is an explanation of why DST saves energy. The decision to practice DST for MORE weeks this year is intended to save MORE energy.

Here's why it saves energy:
The time of sunset varies somewhat depending on where you live, but at this time of year, sunset occurs in most places at about 6 PM. But that's 6 PM standard time. If we all agree to move our clocks ahead one hour and pretend that it's 7 PM at 6 PM, then we'll find that the sun goes down at 7:00. And if we get off work at 5:00, we have 2 hours instead of 1 hour to play outside before dark ... or if we're indoors, we won't need to turn so many lights on, which saves energy.

Now, obviously this doesn't change the number of daylight hours. So although we get an extra hour before sunset in the evening by pretending it's later than it is, we also lose an hour of daylight in the morning. Roughly speaking, the sun WOULD be coming up at about 6AM, but NOW we call that 7AM, so there are fewer hours of daylight before we start work. (Maybe NO hours of daylight, if you get up early and go to work before 7AM.)

As we get into spring and summer, the daylight hours will increase in the morning and evening. But we will continue have one more hour of daylight in the evening due to Daylight Savings Time than we would without it. And we will continue to have one less hour of daylight in the morning (the sun will come up at 5:30 instead of 4:30).

In my opinion, Daylight Savings Time is great!! I have no use for daylight early in the morning (when I'm not up, or am just getting up and dressing). And I love having daylight after work. I would vote for Daylight Savings Time year-round, or maybe even DOUBLE Daylight Savings Time (i.e., turn the clock ahead TWO hours). I think that the DOUBLE Daylight Savings Time approach was used during World War II in order to make more fuel available for the war effort (i.e., less oil was being used to make electricity to light our houses), so the idea is not just something that I made up.

Answer 2

Because the government made a decision to extend Daylight Savings Time by one month, beginning with this year.

It started three weeks earlier than in prior years, and will run one week later (to the 1st weekend in November, instead of the last weekend in October).

The concept is that this will help conserve energy, as we use a lot of lights in the evening time.

Answer 3

It's been a known fact for quite some time now. Where have you been?? You must have run into someone who knew! Read the newspapers - live in the real world. Watch the news. Get the tunes off once in a while and join the rest us. I honestly can't believe that anyone could actually not know at least that it was coming and somewhat why. It has been discussed countless times. What about school??? Others have given somewhat the answer in regard to the reasons for the change. I just want to make a point. Where are the teachers?? Home and school !!

Answer 4

Congress apparently got a bug up their collective backsides and passed a bill so that we'd (supposedly) save money by going to daylight saving time early this year. I think it's nuts, personally; at least the bill requires study of the results after it's all said and done in November. You can thank Massachusetts Congressman Ed Markey for introducing the silly thing.

Answer 5

there are in fact two reasons for this. one since it is lighter out later you will use less electricity witch will help out the enverment. Also because it will be lighter out longer you will have more time in the light to do things like shoping and playing golf. meaning that it can also be to help the econmey. It would make sence for it to be a combination of both of these reasons witch explanes why they moved daylight savings time.

Answer 6

They claim it is to save energy. The longer the sun is out, the less you need lights on in your home.

Answer 7

Don't laugh but this is one of the two reasons - people go shopping when there is more light so it was stir the economy. No really, that was one reason in addition to conserving energy.

Answer 8

the government claims that it is to slow people down this year most people don't travel much during the holidays in turn less gas emissions

Answer 9

because it simply is