Daylight saving time (DST) might be one of the most divisive non-partisan issues Americans face. This weekend, whether you’re switching back to standard or are staying there, you might wonder, “Why?” “Why do we make ourselves an hour late in March but an hour early in November?” Like most time-travel-related conundrums, the answer is complicated.
Daylight saving time runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. Sunrise is usually around 6 a.m., but can be as late as 8:20 a.m., and sunsets can be as late as 8:30 or 9 p.m. Standard time, which we use the rest of the year, is the opposite, with the sun rising much earlier, and darkness looming in the early evening.
The Ghost of Time Changes Past
In America, many believe that DST is an archaic tradition first implemented to help farmers achieve more work in the day, and is now just a whisper from the past, but this isn’t true. Farm work is performed based on dew and sunlight levels, and farmers will individually adjust their schedules based on Nature’s timeline and their own needs, not the number on the clock. Daylight saving was first observed in America after the Standard Time Act of 1918, as a 7-month-long coal-saving measure during World War I. The practice was renewed during the Second World War and was made permanent by the 1966 Uniform Time Act. Time was uniform for less than a year. In 1967, most of Arizona decided to permanently opt out of DST, since the desert heat meant having to cool homes an extra hour. However, the Navajo reservation, located in Northeast Arizona, still changes its clocks, since the territory spans into other states that follow DST. However, the Hopi reservation, which is entirely surrounded by the Navajo reservation, sides with Arizona on the matter and does not observe daylight saving time. The conflict creates an interesting time vortex for eight months of the year.
Lost in Limbo
In 2022, Governor Jared Polis signed a bill that called for an end to the time change in Colorado, so why do Coloradans still change our clocks? Unlike Arizona and Hawaii, which have permanently opted out, Colorado wants to implement DST permanently. This would mean retaining Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) year-round, rather than only March to November. However, Congress only allows states to opt out of the program permanently, and so is requiring four other states in the Mountain time zone to also permanently switch to DST, meaning only eligible states are Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho. Arizona is obviously an unlikely candidate to make the switch, but Montana, Utah, and Wyoming passed laws similar to Colorado’s. The problem comes down to Idaho. The complex intersection of Congress’s requirements for different states to switch to DST means that Idaho is the tipping point, but the state itself is split in two. The northern part of the state follows Pacific Time (PST/PDT), while the southern part keeps Mountain Time (MST/MDT). A measure was passed to switch to DST permanently, but only in the North, and only if Washington also makes the change.
Washington is the end of the line for permanent daylight saving time. The state passed a law in 2019 to make the move, but it cannot take effect without congressional approval. There is no additional state requirement, but Congress has made no moves to revisit the matter, so for now, permanent daylight savings time is at a standstill.
Will We Ever ‘Lock the Clock’?
There are many arguments both for and against adopting standard time permanently. Proponents claim that the sun setting an hour later acts as a crime deterrent and that, in winter, the extra hour means ski lifts can stay open longer, providing Colorado with an economic boost. Those on the other side point to evidence that standard time better mimics natural circadian rhythms, resulting in improved health. Another argument purports that more traffic accidents occur when it’s dark in the morning vs when it’s dark at night. However, the evidence on both sides is anecdotal primarily or unconvincing, and it may come down to regions and individuals whether daylight or standard time is supreme. In Arizona, the year-round warmth means that the early cool evening is welcome. Still, in Colorado, the sun setting over a forlorn winter landscape at 4:30 p.m. can be demoralizingly brutal. Early birds may flourish in standard time, while night owls may prefer long nights of DST. Either way, both Colorado and Congress are unwavering in the temporal standoff. For now, Coloradans will remain beholden to the adage “Spring forward, Fall back”.
