Prompt Cast
The History and Controversy of Daylight Saving Time
TLDR Daylight saving time, originally proposed by Ben Franklin, was not taken seriously until about 100 years later. It has since been implemented in many countries, including the United States, but remains a contentious and arbitrary practice with various effects on energy demand, accidents, crime, and health.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Ben Franklin came up with the idea for daylight savings time.
04:27
Daylight saving time was originally proposed by Ben Franklin as a way to get people up earlier and make better use of daylight, but it was initially dismissed as satire and not taken seriously until about 100 years later.
08:43
Daylight saving time is observed in many countries, including the United States, and it can be a contentious and arbitrary practice.
13:03
Daylight saving time was proposed by George Vernon Hudson and William Willett, with Willett being the one who pushed for it the most and even lobbied the House of Commons to institute it, and it was eventually implemented in England due to World War One.
17:24
The Uniform Time Act of 1966 allowed states to decide whether or not to observe daylight saving time, but if they did, they had to follow certain guidelines, and this remained unchanged until 1986, except for a period during the Arab oil embargo when the US extended daylight saving time through the winter.
21:40
Daylight saving time has various benefits, including reducing traffic accidents and crime, promoting outdoor activities like golf, and saving money for consumers, but farmers and airlines are now the biggest opponents due to the inconvenience it causes for their schedules and operations.
25:39
Daylight saving time has various effects, including a 1% rise in energy demand, increased accidents involving children waiting for the bus in darker mornings, and a decrease in crime during the summer but an increase in the fall.
29:56
Daylight saving time has been shown to disrupt our bodies and has been linked to an increase in heart attacks and suicides.
34:02
There is a listener contest where the winners will get a trip to Atlanta, including a hotel stay, airfare, and an American Express gift card.
Categories:
Society & Culture
