SomeMildLanguage
500+ Posts
Actually, that's somewhat not true, about farming. In fact, farmers were a vocal and powerful constituency railing against Daylight Saving Time during the Wilson administration in the 19-teens.
It's really always been about saving energy, and secondarily about promoting commerce. More recently, it's also about traffic and crime.
Early on, Ben Franklin, who could legitimately claim credit for inventing Daylight Saving Time, calculated how many candles could be saved by using Daylight Saving. And how much money.
Department stores many years later were the guiding force behind Daylight Saving in non war times. They figured people would be more likely to shop after work if they had daylight. They were right, incidentally. Other large stores and plant nurseries and amusement parks and golf courses and small shops and restaurants and such now officially support DST, because it means more business for them.
Then there were the Wars. World Wars, to be precise. Daylight Saving Time was a way to save many millions of dollars worth of scarce energy in wartime.
Studies show three main benefits that are completely relevant today:
1. Lower energy use. This one is pretty obvious.
2. Fewer traffic accidents (since there is far more traffic in the evenings than in the mornings, and crashes are far more likely in the dark).
3. Lower crime rates. Studies show that in D.C., for example, crime is 10-15% lower due to DST. Other cities showed the same kinds of numbers.
In some ways, it seems like we should just adopt Daylight Saving Time year-round, but then we'd have a bit too much darkness in the mornings during the winter.
It's really always been about saving energy, and secondarily about promoting commerce. More recently, it's also about traffic and crime.
Early on, Ben Franklin, who could legitimately claim credit for inventing Daylight Saving Time, calculated how many candles could be saved by using Daylight Saving. And how much money.
Department stores many years later were the guiding force behind Daylight Saving in non war times. They figured people would be more likely to shop after work if they had daylight. They were right, incidentally. Other large stores and plant nurseries and amusement parks and golf courses and small shops and restaurants and such now officially support DST, because it means more business for them.
Then there were the Wars. World Wars, to be precise. Daylight Saving Time was a way to save many millions of dollars worth of scarce energy in wartime.
Studies show three main benefits that are completely relevant today:
1. Lower energy use. This one is pretty obvious.
2. Fewer traffic accidents (since there is far more traffic in the evenings than in the mornings, and crashes are far more likely in the dark).
3. Lower crime rates. Studies show that in D.C., for example, crime is 10-15% lower due to DST. Other cities showed the same kinds of numbers.
In some ways, it seems like we should just adopt Daylight Saving Time year-round, but then we'd have a bit too much darkness in the mornings during the winter.
