Tonight is the night we all set our clocks ahead an hour in observance of the strange springtime ritual known as Daylight Saving Time. Daylight time began on the first Sunday in April but thanks to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, DST now begins on the second Sunday in March and lasts until the first weekend in November.The dates were changed “to save energy”.
Saving energy, in fact, was the reason for the institution of DST back in 1918, when standardized time zones were established. While energy savings may have been achieved when incandescent lighting was a major use of electricity, modern day energy use patterns indicate that DST actually increases energy use.
Along with adjusting your clocks one hour forward, it’s also the recommended time of year to change the batteries in your smoke detectors. According to the State Fire Marshall, 19 percent of the smoke alarms in America do not work, and another 4.5 million homes do not have smoke alarms.
If you like the DST or not, it is time to Spring Forward.
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