Next Sunday the clocks go back. It seems as if we'll gain an extra hour in bed but lose more daylight time. We change our clocks during the summer months to move an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. Different countries change on different dates.
Countries near the Equator generally do not change their clocks because there day and night are nearly the same length, that is 12 hours. Elsewhere on Earth, there is much more daylight in the summer than in the winter. The closer you live to the north or south pole, the longer the period of daylight in the summer. So summer's Daylight Saving Time (DST) doesn't really help in the tropics.
People prefer DST because the evenings are lighter. In winter a lot of extra energy is used for lighting and appliances since, if we are indoors while it is dark, we are more likely to watch TV and use computers, DVDs and CD players. A good percentage of energy consumed by lighting and appliances occurs in the evening when families are at home. By moving the clock ahead one hour, the amount of electricity consumed each day decreases.
In the winter, there is more danger of traffic and other accidents in the darker evenings. So as well as being extra careful if you are cycling or walking in the dark wear something that shows up in dark. And now is also the time to plan all the sleepovers, DVDs to watch, books to read and the delicious treats to cook that you don't have time for in summer. Then, before you know it it'll be Christmas time, so winter time is not all bad news.
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Countries near the Equator generally do not change their clocks because there day and night are nearly the same length, that is 12 hours. Elsewhere on Earth, there is much more daylight in the summer than in the winter. The closer you live to the north or south pole, the longer the period of daylight in the summer. So summer's Daylight Saving Time (DST) doesn't really help in the tropics.
People prefer DST because the evenings are lighter. In winter a lot of extra energy is used for lighting and appliances since, if we are indoors while it is dark, we are more likely to watch TV and use computers, DVDs and CD players. A good percentage of energy consumed by lighting and appliances occurs in the evening when families are at home. By moving the clock ahead one hour, the amount of electricity consumed each day decreases.
In the winter, there is more danger of traffic and other accidents in the darker evenings. So as well as being extra careful if you are cycling or walking in the dark wear something that shows up in dark. And now is also the time to plan all the sleepovers, DVDs to watch, books to read and the delicious treats to cook that you don't have time for in summer. Then, before you know it it'll be Christmas time, so winter time is not all bad news.
Look for te Toys for you article in our competition section!