Permanent, year-round daylight saving time is a tried – and failed – experiment.
In December 1973, Nixon signed the Emergency Daylight Saving Time Energy Conservation Act to begin this two-year experiment.
Initially, 79% of the public favored the daylight time move, according to a study by the National Opinion Research Center of the University of Chicago.
In the months to follow, reports in The New York Times and The Washington Post reflected dissatisfaction. Most of the concern came from parents and school officials about the winter darkness, and resulting traffic accidents/children deaths.
By February, opinion for keeping permanent DST dropped to 42%, according to NORC. A House committee report found that a majority of the public expressed “distaste” for DST in wintertime.
On Oct. 5, President Gerald Ford signed legislation reversing permanent DST.
Recently, Congress and states, including Colorado, have pushed for permanent, year-round DST – an already proven failure. Interestingly enough, the Uniform Time Act of 1966 allows for a state to exempt itself by simply passing a law.
While Hawaii has never observed DST, Arizona hasn’t since the year after the enactment of UTA, having exempted itself.
Honestly, I’m tired of switching time twice a year.
To stick to Standard Time year-round, we need to petition state House and Senate representatives in the Denver statehouse.
Push for it. Write them. Call them. Let them know to act.
Instead of complaining, I’d rather do something that’s within reach to achieve.
We can do this.
Jonathan Bowers
Durango
