The country will participate in the semiannual custom of changing the clocks this Sunday, which has reignited a political discussion about its importance. The debate over whether this should be the final time we change the clocks is gathering steam as most of the nation prepares to “spring forward” into daylight saving time (DST).
The Push for Permanent Daylight Saving Time
Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) are pushing to implement daylight saving time permanently, arguing that the yearly change is outmoded and harmful. Rubio calls changing the clocks back and forth “stupid,” and his Sunshine Protection Act seeks to end it. Markey agrees, emphasizing the detrimental effects of the present system on the public’s health, energy use, and economy.
Despite these efforts, attempts to block the national clock adjustments have failed several times. Legislation has been stalled in committee due to a lack of support, trapping the nation in a never-ending loop of shifting circumstances.
Health Experts Prefer Standard Time
It’s not only a political argument. Experts on health and sleep have voiced their opinions, supporting average time instead of daylight saving time. They contend that standard time is better in line with human circadian cycles and may thus be advantageous for general health. This expert viewpoint adds another level of nuance to the conversation by implying that the decision between DST and regular time affects public health and convenience.
A Brief History of Daylight Saving Time
To save energy, the US initially implemented daylight saving time in 1918. Since then, several adjustments have been made to the practice, such as the brief period in the 1970s when DST was declared permanent, only to have it revoked less than a year later owing to public outcry and safety concerns. The Energy Policy Act 2005 created the current timetable, effective from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.
State-Level Movements
States are taking matters into their own hands due to the impasse in the federal discussion. At least thirty states are presently investigating daylight saving time legislation. There are differences in these ideas; some states are thinking about switching to DST permanently, subject to federal approval, while others want to use standard time all year round, which is currently allowed by law.
What’s Next?
The future of daylight saving time is still unknown, even as the nation gets ready for this Sunday’s “spring forward” at two in the morning local time. On Sunday, November 3, Americans will “fall back” to standard time if no federal legislation is approved. The current discussion highlights the need for a nationwide review of timekeeping procedures, with ramifications for daily living, policy, and health.
Hawaii and Arizona, except the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona, do not follow daylight saving time. Therefore, inhabitants in these states will have to watch the time change from a distance. The twice-yearly custom of changing the clocks is a timely reminder of the ongoing conversation over the appropriate ways to oversee our country’s timekeeping procedures.
