One Hour Less in Bed as Clocks Go Forward at 2am
March 27th, 2010
Don’t forget that tonight (or more specifically at 2am early Sunday morning) the clocks go forward in all countries within the European Union, including Spain. So, that’s one hour ‘less’ in bed!
According to estimates by the Institute for Energy Saving, this is an initiative that, in Spain alone, saves around 5 percent of electricity consumption, which is equivalent to 300 million euros.
The EU “time shift” came into effect in 1974, when during the first oil crisis some countries decided to move their clocks forward in the Spring and back again in the autumn to make better use of sunlight and therefore consume less electricity, mainly in lighting. An official European directive in 2001 established permanent starting dates of “Summer Time” hours, that always occurs on the last Sunday of March and returns on the last Sunday of October.
For those who sometimes forget which way the clocks move, the phrase “Spring forward and Fall back” is an easy reminder.
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