Here’s Why New England Changes the Clocks for Daylight Savings

Andover native and longtime Tonight Show host Jay Leno once told me he purposely tries to book standup shows on the East Coast for Fallback Weekend, so when he returned to California, he would gain back four hours instead of just three.

Other than that, I'm not sure I know any New Englanders who still enjoy Daylight Savings Time. Not falling back, and certainly not springing forward.

Like the clocks twice a year, the tide has turned on Daylight Saving in recent years. As New Englanders become more educated on sunlight as it relates to mental health and wellbeing, the idea of some extra sunshine in the morning meaning the sun setting around four in the afternoon seemed less appealing.

So, why do we do it?

Many assume it is to benefit farmers, but this is not so. According to New Hampshire's own Farmer's Alamac, the first World War led to Daylight Saving Time as a coal-conservation effort.

The U.S. government would adopt the concept from England and tried to sell the idea that Americans would be able to get more gardening done to increase the nation’s food supply.

And even then…it was met with resistance. Most notably, from farmers.

After much outcry, Daylight Saving Time was repealed. But then came another World War…and Daylight Savings Time was here to stay.

But the war against playing with time rages on, with more than half the states in the U.S. proposing legislation to end Daylight Saving Time for good.

But for now (and no good reason), we leave a sticky note on the microwave clock reminding ourselves it's time for another needless change.