Daylight Savings Time

"DST"
(C) Flickr Creative Commons, Will

Daylight Savings Time begins on Sunday, March 8 at 2 a.m.!

While in college, yes- there were colleges back then- my human used to get confused as to whether to move the clock forward or backward at the time changes each year.  He gets confused easy!

One of his friends mentioned this poem, "Spring Forward, Fall Back!" which means:  In the Spring season, you turn your clocks ahead one hour (Spring Forward); in the Fall season, you turn your clocks back one hour (Fall Back).  So, for the past 1000 years after Dad's graduation from college, the poem helps him to remember the time changes- though I tend to think he loves the spring season so it's easy for him to remember! WOOF!!

Barkingly curious as to why humans do these things?  Why mess with the clock? I searched the internet stopping at my human-approved websites and found several similar ideas for Daylight Savings Time.

Used by Permission, GraphicStock

The main reason for daylight savings time are quite barkogical. The main reason is to make good use of daylight and save energy. In the summer, the clocks are moved forward to extend an hour of daylight to the evening. In the early 1900's when the Germans started changing the clocks, they discovered, energy is saved when the clocks are shifted. The idea is that if the sun is out "longer" than normal, people will use natural light and turn on their home lights later. Therefore, less electricity will be used.  The concept caught on in the United States in the 1970's during an energy crisis and became law or standard practice.

Also, humans tend to enjoy the evening hours outside when they can walk their dog, mow the yard, participate in athletic events, socialize their dog, wash the car, walk the dog and many other great activities.

My human will start changing the clocks in our house on Saturday morning.  He will start with the least used clocks and his alarm clock- which he doesn't see most of the day.   He'll be prepared for being on time to church on Sunday.

One thing I have never understood about Daylight Savings Time though.  If you're saving all this daylight, when to get to claim it?  I'd like to get it back during the winter months when walking my human is difficult or not as fun as its dark in the morning and the evening!  WOOF!!!