Portland Locals Have Mixed Feelings About Daylight Savings Time
By Brianna Shaw, March 17th 2026
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Local businesses on Stevens Ave. Photo by Brianna Shaw
Deering High School and the surrounding local businesses have varying perspectives when it comes to daylight savings time. In order to amplify these voices, The Clock Tower interviewed locals this week to find out more about how daylight savings is impacting their lives and business.
Although it is commonly believed that daylight savings was created for farmers, Athens County Independent, a community-owned news site, states that “it was not for the benefit of farmers; rather, it was an attempt to save energy that would otherwise be used on lighting lamps as World War I raged.” Despite the war ending in 1918, many countries and states, including Maine, still participate in this practice. The Clock Tower questioned the impact of the tradition and asked locals this: What do you think about daylight savings time?
The Bad
“Abolish it,” said Patrick Williams, an English and Documentary teacher at Deering High School. “It's an antiquated practice.” Just like Williams, “2 in 3 Americans believe daylight savings is not relevant in today’s world and should be abolished,” according to Payless Power, a company that believes in affordable electricity.
“I think the deleterious effects it has vastly outweigh any benefits,” Williams said. For instance, William notes that in his classes, “the kids have been a little sleepier. I think for them, it points to the bigger problem that kids are staying up way too late.” Williams' statement holds some truth as the American Academy of Sleep Medicine conducted a survey where “93% of Gen Z admit to staying up past their bedtime due to social media.” “If they are staying up,” Williams continued, “losing that extra hour is devastating; domino effect.”
The Good
“It’s crazy, but I like it!” said Iris Diaz, an employee with a different perspective at Lecha, a boba and ice cream shop. “I’ve been really tired since the daylight savings happened,” Diaz recognized. To clarify, she said, “I really like the day saving more than when we change it from winter.” Diaz appreciates daylight savings, and said that “We used to open eleven to five, but now we are open more late because we have more light.”
When asked if she would end daylight savings time, Diaz responded: “I won’t do it.” She finds joy in the tradition, and said, “I feel like [it's] something that has to happen.” The practice may be outdated, but according to the Courier Journal, “The goal of daylight savings time is to ensure more daylight hours in a day for a number of reasons, but primarily to save energy.” Saving energy is beneficial in multiple ways. For example, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, “saving energy reduces air and water pollution and conserves natural resources, which in turn creates a healthier living environment for people everywhere.”
The practice of daylight savings time affects everybody differently. “For me, no big deal,” Williams said, but for his family, “it could spin out for weeks.” Knowing this, some cannot come to a consensus; whether to keep the practice going or to abolish it entirely.
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