10/31/2026
Why do we have Daylight Saving Time?
Germany was the first country to try it in 1916 to conserve fuel during WWI. But the idea was likely inspired by a Brit with a more wholesome pitch: Sunshine is pretty, and we should enjoy it.
In 1907, William Willett published a pamphlet called The Waste of Daylight, lobbying Parliament for the change until his death. Britain adopted the law shortly after Germany, a year too late for ol’ William to see, sadly.
The U.S. followed with the Standard Time Act of 1918, which also established America’s time zones.
