A beautiful sunset in the mountains.
Daylight savings time is about to come to an end for this year. Here is an explanation of it and why it is good for exploring the Rocky Mountains.
One of my fondest memories from childhood is being outside playing until late on summer evenings. I used to love the fact that I could be outside playing until 8 o’clock at night and it would still be light. Well, one of the reasons that is possible is because of daylight savings time. Now as an adult, I still like it because it means I can get out after work and explore or exercise while it is still light.
What Is Daylight Savings Time And How Did It Start?
As most of us know daylight savings time means changing the clocks ahead one hour during the longer summer days so that the sun rises and sets an hour later. During the summer the days are longer naturally, but without that shift that would mean the sun rose earlier when people are sleeping.
It was first thought of by Benjamin Franklin in the 1700s, but it was not until William Willett, from England, wrote a pamphlet in 1907, The Waste Of Daylight, in which he argued for daylight savings time. It was not officially adopted by any country until 1916 in Germany and 1918 in the US, both as a means to conserve energy during World War I.
What Are The Benefits Of Daylight Savings Time?
The theory behind switching the clocks ahead in the spring and then back in the fall is to save energy. Studies show that in the US energy usage is reduced by about 1% during the summer months. That may not sound like much, but it adds up quickly.
Daylight savings time means more time to play outside!
Longer Days Means More Time To Explore And Get Outside
Personally, as a person that likes to spend time outside hiking, biking, and just playing with my kids I love daylight savings time. That extra hour in the evening is time that we can use to explore, get exercise, and play. Anyone that enjoys the outdoors should be grateful for that extra hour every evening in the summer.