Why do we have a daylight saving time?

IT'S that time of year when most Americans will have to set their clocks forward an hour early due to daylight saving time.

Daylight saving time was observed on March 14 but why do we have one to begin with?

Why do we have a daylight saving time?

Founding father Benjamin Franklin reportedly was one to suggest a daylight saving time in the 18th century.

George Hudson, a New Zealand resident, is credited with the idea of daylight saving time. National Geographic reports he proposed the clock shift in order to have more time to go hunting in the daylight in the summer.

The purpose of turning the clocks forward an hour was to give people more time in the daylight.

The New York Times reported that some argued daylight saving time helps people save on energy costs. However, there have been conflicting studies to prove whether that is true.

In the US, Congress passed a law in 1918 "to save daylight." However, there have been arguments in Congress and state governments over whether to get rid of daylight saving time.

In 1966, daylight saving time became a law in the US. However, there are still arguments over daylight saving time.

What US states don't observe daylight saving time?

Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe daylight saving time.

Hawaii observes Hawaii Standard Time (HST) all year, and clocks never change on the island nation.

Navajo Nation in Arizona observes daylight saving time, but the rest of the state does not.

Hawaii and Arizona do not follow other states due to their unique climates.

American Samoa, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and Guam do not observe daylight saving time.

Who wants to end daylight saving time?

The European Union has voted to abandon daylight saving time by 2021.

US states Florida, California and Ohio have started to consider whether to abandon daylight saving time or keep it.

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden has said in the past that “springing forward and falling back year after year only creates unnecessary confusion while harming Americans’ health and our economy.”

Florida Senator Marco Rubio, with four Republican and three Democrat senators, have put forward the Sunshine Protection Act which would make "daylight saving time permanent."

Countries like China, India and Russia do not recognize daylight saving time.

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