bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Cliff Buddle

Hong Kong residents who move to Britain face many adjustments. One of them, required at this time every year, is the sudden loss of an hour of daylight.
The end of British Summer Time this morning gave all of us in the UK an extra hour in bed as the clocks were turned back. But for most, this is not welcome. It signals that winter is coming and dark days lie ahead.
From today, the sun will set just before 6pm, similar to Hong Kong. Then it is all downhill. By December 21, the sun will sink before 4pm. Time to go into hibernation.
But daylight saving time has benefits, too, as the clocks move in the other direction in the spring, bringing longer summer evenings.
It is used by more than 70 countries around the world, including in the US and European Union. For more than 30 years, Hong Kong was among them – and the issue was controversial.
Germany was the first nation to move the clocks forward in 1916, to help save fuel during the first world war by reducing the demand for artificial lighting. Britain and other European countries quickly followed.
Hong Kong introduced daylight saving in 1941 as an emergency measure during the second world war, mainly to save fuel and aid military training. Clocks were turned forward an hour for the summer and back just 30 minutes in the winter.
The South China Morning Post reported in June that year: “For the first time in Hongkong’s history it was still daylight at 8.30 o’clock last night, the result of daylight saving.”
When the clocks changed for the first time earlier in the month, people spent longer on the beaches in the evening and shops stayed open later.
On the downside, the summer reset meant an hour’s less sleep, and the Post dryly noted that after a hot and humid night, those who needed to work “adhered to the new time without notable enthusiasm”.
Daylight saving was not scrapped until 1976, starting with a trial period of a year. But the decision was hotly contested. A “sunshine” campaign secured 50,000 signatures in favour of keeping Hong Kong summer time. A Post survey showed 50 per cent in favour and another 30 per cent wanting summer time all year round. The government was accused of “robbing the community”.
Over the years, the use of daylight saving time around the world has declined. Debate continues to rage about the pros and cons in places where it operates.
The EU proposed requiring all member states to adopt either their winter or summer time, putting an end to clocks changing, in 2018. But it has not been able to implement the move.
Arguments in favour of longer summer days include saving energy, fewer road accidents, less crime and more time for recreational pursuits. But the perceived benefits are disputed by opponents.
Recently, it has been argued that the artificial creation of longer evenings and, therefore, less daylight in the morning, is bad for our health.
The British Sleep Society, a group of scientists and medical professionals, called for the UK’s clock changes to be scrapped in favour of Greenwich Meantime all year. It argued daylight in the morning is more important, vital to ensuring our body clocks work and we enjoy a good night’s sleep.
Hong Kong is not likely to buck the trend and reintroduce daylight saving, especially as it would put the city in a different time zone to mainland China for half of the year, although letter writers to the Post have advocated the move from time to time over the years.
Many would enjoy the longer evenings in the summer and it might even boost consumption, keeping people out and about for longer. The need for “night vibes” could be postponed for an hour.
For those of us in the UK, meanwhile, the long summer evenings are a distant memory. We are hunkering down for the winter and looking forward to spring.


MTR should look into lift etiquette before enforcing escalator rule

Operation Santa Claus: charity interpreting for deaf Hongkongers aims to offer mental support

Tropical Storm Toraji: Hong Kong issues T3 warning, Typhoon Usagi also brewing

MTR needs to rethink stand on escalators

Hong Kong society

Is now the time for Hong Kong to once again try daylight saving?

Daylight saving time is used by more than 70 countries around the world, including in the US and European Union. Photo: AP

Where are the jobs? Top talent lured to Hong Kong struggle to find work

 Illustration: Henry Wong

The top talent scheme aims to attract people from around the world to Hong Kong. Photo: Dickson Lee

Hong Kong Talent Engage will step up the promotion of its online platforms. Photo: Sam Tsang

A survey found that a quarter of the newcomers are keen to set up companies in Hong Kong. Photo: May Tse

1,887 Hong Kong teachers apply to work in England under education talent scheme

The UK last year rolled at its own talent scheme to recruit teachers from overseas. Photo: AP

Opinion

Many would enjoy the longer evenings in the summer and such a move might even boost consumption, keeping people out and about for longer


Many would enjoy the longer evenings in the summer and such a move might even boost consumption, keeping people out and about for longer.


My Take

Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


Column

My Take | Is now the time for Hong Kong to once again try daylight saving?

Many would enjoy the longer evenings in the summer and such a move might even boost consumption, keeping people out and about for longer