Put seasonal time changes into no-longer-practical bin
March has arrived thus we must again deal with daylight saving time (DST), the first of our seasonal time changes. Adjusting our clocks does not create more natural daylight. The time change only alters when the sun rises and sets and forces us to deal with its consequences.
George Hudson, a New Zealand entomologist is recognized for proposing DST. In 1895 Hudson recommended a two-hour time shift to gain more sunlight to search for bugs in the summer. Hudson’s suggestion, reduced by one hour, was eventually adopted --- but not in Zealand. The first country to initiate DST was Germany in 1916 with the belief that the adjustment would conserve electricity for their war efforts. However, 106 years later much has changed to justify an elimination of this yearly practice.
When we reflect on lifestyles and work requirements that existed a century ago we can appreciate the then-promoted benefits of having DST’S sunlight. In modern lives with realities such as computers, TV screens, social media, streetlights and electrical services within buildings, the lore of saving energy via a day’s adjusted hours for sunlight is invalid.
When we incorporate current work situations, be it due to COVID-19 induced labour practices, flexible hours or modern work requirements, daylight is no longer essential for productivity. As well, our modes of transportation are such that daylight is not vital for travel to employment.
Computer technology has opened up a world for income options. Many of us know people who work from home via such tools and deal with job requirements that have them communicating worldwide regardless of the amounts of daylight. Coupled with that modern reality, such workers have incorporated modifications to their hours of employment thus earlier- or later-in-the-day daylight is moot.
There will be arguments presented dealing with the operation of schools regarding the pro or con effects of seasonal time changes. Our educational systems have undergone farreaching temporary revisions due to COVID-19 that I suspect will impact how future schooling is conducted. My prediction is that the commencement of a school day and the organization of the instructional times, along with the months during which students can attend schools, will be incorporated into future negotiations.
I am irritated by the impact of DST on my circadian rhythm. For many of us, the tiredness brought on by DST might be an inconvenience; however, for some that time change can have serious health disadvantages. A loss of one hour of sleep appears to be inconsequential but research would disagree with that premise.
Sleep expert Matthew Walker, Director of the Center for Human Sleep Science at the University of California, Berkeley, presents health concerns to which sleep deficiency is associated; things such as problems in concentration, memory and the immune system and possibly shortened life spans. Walker is of the opinion that our bodies are susceptible to even one hour of lost sleep.
You might be wondering what can be done about DST. Canadian laws dealing with timekeeping are under the jurisdictions of provincial and territorial governments. With exceptions in regions of several provinces and Nunavut, DST is observed in nine provinces and two territories. (For me the shining light is that Ontario and the European Union are in the process of eliminating DST.)
If we accept everything as it is, how do we initiate improvements? I expect there will be lively debates should our Nova Scotia government decide to pursue the abolition of seasonal time changes to establish a fixed standard year-round time. The need for DST, if it ever truly existed, has come and gone. Let’s put daylight saving time in the nolonger-practical bin and establish a standard year-round time.
In modern lives with realities such as computers, TV screens, social media, streetlights and electrical services within buildings, the lore of saving energy via a day’s adjusted hours for sunlight is invalid.
Ray Bates, a resident of Guysborough (Sedabooktook: harbour running far back), has been contributing his opinions to newspapers since 1998.