How Daylight Savings Earns Over $600 Million

When is daylight savings time 2014?  This Sunday the 9th at 2.a.m.  The second Sunday in March is this weekend, the 9th, which means we move clocks FORWARD one hour.

To be honest, I hate Daylight Savings Time.  Sleep is a precious commodity, and DST has grown from six months, to seven months in 1986, to eight months in 2007.

Why?

The latest change was officially part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.  But I believe the real reason is money.  According to phys.org, the charcoal & grill industries make over $200 million extra when there's more daylight, and the golf industry says $400 million extra.  They both had some of the largest lobbies in 1986 to push for extended DST months.

But there's some potential good news (from my POV).  Rep. Mike Moyle has introduced a bill today to exempt Idaho from observing DST.  I wonder if the extra morning hour of light might also be beneficial for farmers?  Go get 'em, Mike!