Florida Wants To Stay In Daylight Saving Time All Year Long

It's that time of year again when the clocks go forward and we all lament the loss of that extra hour of sleep we cherish so dearly. Before everything was connected and our electronics updated automatically, Daylight Saving Time was something of a hassle. Now that technology has taken over, we hardly notice the shift in our clocks come spring and fall. However, it seems the state of Florida is tired of the whole routine. Florida lawmakers have approved a bill to keep Daylight Saving Time going all year round.

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It may seem like a miracle for politics, but it took the Senate less than a minute on Tuesday to pass the "Sunshine Protection Act," as it's known. The House passed it 103-11 back on February 14.

 

It Isn't Law Yet

 

Even though it seems the majority of Florida is in favor of the bill, it still has a way to go before it's signed into law.

 

The bill will now fall on the desk of Governor Rick Scott, who, if he approves the bill, will then likely have to pass it on to Congress who will have the final say on whether Florida can lay down the clock handles for good.

 

This isn't the first time a state has decided against 'falling back' or 'springing forward' (the best way to remember the change, in our opinion). Both Arizona and Hawaii are exempt from the Uniform Time Act, brought in in 1966. It was this act that established Daylight Saving Time throughout the U.S.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Tradition Steeped In History

 

However, the idea of cheating time dates back to Benjamin Franklin himself, who, in 1784, suggested that Parisians could save on candles if they got up earlier and made more of the morning light. Whilst it may have been a joke, it posed an interesting idea of how we could capitalize on sunlight. Candles are more for decoration these days than necessity but what of our energy consumption? Does Daylight Saving Time help us save more on our energy bills?

 

The simple answer is, no, not really. A 2008 US Department of Energy study found that Daylight Saving Time reduces annual energy cost by the mere amount of 0.03%. Another study done by the University of California, Santa Barbara found that it may actually increase energy consumption.

 

So, Daylight Saving Time: Friend or Foe? This much we know - when fall time rolls around, that extra hour in bed sure is dreamy.