DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME

Lebanon was thrown into mass confusion after its government at the last minute delayed the start of daylight saving time by a month. Meanwhile, Greenland has chosen to stay with daylight saving time forever.

What is daylight saving time?

  • Daylight saving time (DST) is the practice of setting the clocks forward one hour from the standard time during the summer and back again in the autumn.
  • The goal of Daylight Saving Time is to make better use of daylight by prolonging the amount of time we can spend outside during daylight hours.
  • India does not follow daylight saving time as countries near the Equator do not experience high variations in daytime hours between seasons.
  • Because the spring to fall cycle is opposite in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, DST lasts from March to October/November in Europe and the US, and from September/October to April in New Zealand and Australia.

Rationale behind this system:

  • The rationale behind setting clocks ahead of standard time is to ensure that the clocks show a later sunrise and later sunset — in effect a longer evening daytime.
  • Individuals will wake an hour earlier than usual, complete their daily work routines an hour earlier, and have an extra hour of daylight at the end.

Origin of the practice:

  • Daylight Saving Time was first suggested in 1895 by George Hudson.
  • Hudson wanted more daylight hours after work to collect bugs, and Daylight Saving Time was his solution.
  • The idea of Daylight Saving Time caught on in other countries, especially as energy savings and conservation became a concern during World War II.
  • DST is now used in over 70 countries around the world.
  • India used daylight saving time from 1941 to 1945.

SOURCE: THE HINDU, THE ECONOMIC TIMES, PIB

About ChinmayaIAS Academy - Current Affairs

Check Also

EARTHQUAKE

Context: Moroccan earthquakes Shaking of earth caused by release of energy travelling in all directions. …

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Get Free Updates to Crack the Exam!
Subscribe to our Newsletter for free daily updates