ZEELAND, Mich., March 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Although you might be dreading losing that hour of sleep on Sunday March 9 due to Daylight Saving Time, the loss of sleep means more daylight hours and conserved energy. Howard Miller(R), the premier manufacturer of clocks, display cabinets and Wine & Spirits Furnishings(TM) in the United States, estimates that over three-quarters of a billion clocks and timing devices in the U.S., not counting watches, will be set forward on March 9. Time expert Mark Siciliano, Director of Marketing for Howard Miller, offers the following facts about the history of DST:
Who started Daylight Saving Time? Benjamin Franklin. Daylight Saving Time has been widely used since World War I, when the system was adopted by U.S. law to conserve fuel. During World War II it was mandatory but did not become law in peacetime until 1966.
Who is in charge of DST? The U.S. Department of Transportation, which also has jurisdiction over time zones. Standard time in time zones was first instituted in 1883 by the railroads.
Why is the time change earlier than in the past? In 2005, President George W. Bush signed the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Beginning in 2007, this changed the start of DST from the first Sunday of April to the second Sunday in March. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy found that it saves consumers $329 million dollars, avoids building more electric power plants, prevents the consumption of 21 billion cubic feet of natural gas, and avoids generating nearly 11 million metric tons of the carbon emissions that lead to Global Warming, due to decreased use of electricity.
How does DST affect crime? A study by the U.S. Law Enforcement Assistance Administration found that rates of violent crime go down 10 to 13 percent during DST. This is because most crimes where darkness is a factor occur after dusk, not before dawn.
How does DST affect birth time? DST affects the time when babies are born. When DST takes affect, between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. on March 9, there will be a gap with no births.
For more information on Howard Miller, or to find a retailer near you, visit http://www.howardmiller.com/.
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