While most of you started Daylight Savings (DST) this weekend, in fact Hawaii did not join you. Hawaii has never observed daylight saving time under the Uniform Time Act, having opted out of the Act’s provisions over fifty years ago. Now it looks like the rest of the world may soon join Hawaii in eliminating this practice.
Until next fall, take note that Hawaii will be 3 hours earlier than the west coast, instead of 2 hours.
Question: Why has Hawaii never adopted Daylight Savings Time?
Answer: Hawaii sunrise and Hawaii sunset times do not vary much.
Being much further south than any of the mainland states, and actually at a latitude close to that of Mexico City, there’s no significant advantage to having daylight savings in Hawaii. The concept of daylight savings was, in theory, that it adjusts the time to make use of available natural light. With Hawaii reasonably close to the equator, sunrise and sunset time don’t vary nearly as much as is the case further to the north. Read on as to whether this theory holds water.
The other US locations that do not have daylight savings are:
- Arizona (most of the state)
- American Samoa
- Guam
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Puerto Rico
- United States Virgin Islands
The above locations are, with the exception of Arizona, in a similar situation to Hawaii in terms of latitude. Arizona unsuccessfully tried daylight savings in the 1960’s before opting out.
Why daylight savings?
Daylight savings started in the US in 1918, during World War I. While the stated reason was to benefit farmers and/or save fuel, it is now largely believed that it was a way of promoting retail shopping in light evenings. It was also considered beneficial to health since with longer days, people would spend more time with recreation and sports.
After World War I, only New York City continued to observe DST until 1942, when a national DST policy came into effect. In 1966 the uniform time act said that the US would observe six months of standard time and six months of daylight savings time each year.
States had to either opt in or opt out so that cities and counties could no longer decide on DST. Arizona opted out. Since then the US has moved to longer observance of DST, which since 2005 has been 8 months each year.
Europe has a similar policy and typically changes between “summer time” and standard time about the same time that the US changes. Europe will go from standard time to summer time the last weekend of March this year.
There is much doubt about whether daylight savings is useful or not, and in fact it may not continue much longer. Europe could lead in that effort and we’ve heard that it may end within the next year. Furthermore, recent studies suggest that daylight savings can throw off sleep schedules and more. That may affect our well being, judgment and productivity.
Updated 3/7/20.
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Ernest L. says
I would rather stay on DST year-round. We could move our clocks ahead and just call it Standard Time.
John A. says
Aloha,
There is Daylight and Nightlight-(if you wish to refer to Night that way),the concept of time and all that is represented by the number grading that we use for it (the Clock system)…is completely man made…
Aloha…
Beat of Hawaii says
Hi John.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Maleko says
Please note that part of Indiana does not change their clocks.
Aloha.
Beat of Hawaii says
Hi Maleko.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Kalaki says
Aloha!
Just one more reason to love Hawaii!
Ike wau i ka manawa mokupuni 🙂
Chris M. says
I love daylight savings time! I was really happy the year we never went off of that timing–during the fuel crisis. I really enjoy being outside late into the evening, able to walk in light, garden, etc. When people work all day and need to do gardening or want to BBQ and eat outside, daylight savings time gives them the opportunity to do that. As for not adjusting…come on! I taught school for 30 years and my students might have had one day to adjust to the time change. They had no issues and it’s easier for adults. I had a harder time flying to Asia and back with jet lag than I ever had with a day of adjusting to our time change. Keep daylight savings time!
R.D. says
ALOHA:
Daylight Savings Time had nothing to do with “the farmers” in the USA.
Benjamin Franklin takes the honor (or the blame, depending on your view of the time changes) for coming up with the idea to reset clocks in the summer months as a way to conserve energy, according to David Prerau, author of “Seize the Daylight: The Curious and Contentious Story of Daylight Saving Time” (Thunder’s Mouth Press, 2005). By moving clocks forward, people could take advantage of the extra evening daylight rather than wasting energy on lighting.
In 1918, the United States adopted daylight saving time. Though President Woodrow Wilson wanted to keep daylight saving time after WWI ended, the country was mostly rural at the time and farmers objected, partly because it would mean they lost an hour of morning light. (It’s a commonly misunderstood myth that DST was instituted to help farmers.)
And so daylight saving time was abolished until the next war brought it back into vogue. At the start of WWII, on Feb. 9, 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt re-established daylight saving time year-round, calling it “War Time.”
Colleen says
I have no idea why they think Farmers needed daylight savings time. The sun has always regulated their work days – winter or summer. Not the clock. With the huge tractors being used today, a farmer can get his work done in much less time. Just my 2 cents.
Earl F. says
Daylight saving time was really created for the Farmers, and no one else benefits from this change of time. Earl
Chris M. says
I’m not a farmer and I benefit! When I get home from work, I can still do chores outside that need doing for a few hours. When it’s dark, I can’t. I dislike the sunset so early in Hawaii. I’d love to be walking on the beach at 8-9 at night in light, but I do understand their latitude and how it wouldn’t change too much.