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26 December 2022
Why doesn’t Arizona observe daylight saving time? People across the country often ask this question. If you have lived in Arizona for over a few months, you already know we don’t observe Daylight Savings Time, but do you know why? Here’s a hint: the answer involves the weather. Learn more about the details and why it’s a good idea for the rest of the nation.
The date varies slightly yearly, but Daylight Saving Time generally occurs in March. March in Arizona is spectacular–right before the warm months of the year start–and there are plenty of things to see and do.
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48 of the 50 states observe Daylight Savings Time. Although most Americans change their clocks twice a year, few get overly excited about it. The good news is Arizonans aren’t affected by that! Getting out on the trails, hiking, biking, and enjoying nature is too important to us! Even lifelong Grand Canyon State residents don’t know why Arizona hasn’t observed Daylight Savings Time for the past 40 years.
The United States (including Arizona) went on Daylight Saving time during World War One and World War Two but then went off after both wars. As a result of the oil shortages of 1973, a more permanent federal law was passed. Arizona, however, requested – and was granted – an exemption. According to a 1969 editorial in the Arizona Republic, the state’s extreme heat was to blame. When Arizona observes Daylight Saving Time, the sun will stay out until 9 pm instead of 8 pm.
“[Data] clearly show that we must wait until about 9 p.m. DST to start any night-time activity such as drive-in movies, moonlight rides, convincing little children it’s bedtime, etc.,” the editorial explained. “And it’s still hot as blazes!”
There was also an editorial from the Arizona Republic in 1968 that stated, “Drive-in theaters, the parents of small children, the bars, the farmers and those who do business with California” were against Daylight Saving Time while “power companies, the evening golfers, the late risers, and the people with business interests on the Eastern seaboard” were for it.
Don’t be fooled by Arizona’s DST stance. Arizona is not exempt from Daylight Saving Time today in every corner. Navajo Indian Reservation follows DST, but it stretches across four states.
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Here’s what would happen if all of Arizona decided to observe DST. During most of the summer, the sun would rise at 6:30 am instead of 5:30 am. At the end of the day, the sun would set at 9 pm instead of 8 pm. Sunrise and sunset times would remain the same in winter. According to a study published by the American Psychological Association in 2009 by Michigan State University, Daylight Saving Time is detrimental to the American workplace.
“Following [the start and end of DST], employees slept 40 min less, had 5.7 percent more workplace injuries, and lost 67.6 percent more work days because of injuries than on nonphase change days,” according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health study, which examined mining injuries between 1983 and 2006. A CNN opinion piece published several years ago stated that the DOE estimated that sticking with one consistent time could save enough electricity to power 100,000 homes each year.
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