An history lesson and a look to the future. I want to discuss time zones and how we arrived at our present day four time zones which includes, Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific. Now to understand just how radical of an idea it was to arrive at four times zones you must first understand how time was prior to 1883, when our current system was initiated. In the Civil War era each city had its own local time; however, this was extremely cumbersome for the newly started Railroad Industry as it became impossible to smoothly operate and schedule pick ups and drop offs. This was the driving force to create a more unified system of time.
Currently we are still using Daylight Savings Time as well as the current four time zones. Allison Schrager, an economist and writer in New York proposed the idea that we have only two time zones and do away with Daylight Savings Time. The way her plan would be executed would happen in November where the East Coast turns clocks back and becomes Central Time and the West Coast would turn its clocks forward and become Mountain time. This would give the East Coast brighter mornings and the West Coast sunnier evenings.
They are some attractive qualities to implementing such a radical change to our current Time Zones. Schrager gives the following reasons to change:
- Reduce jet lag
- Simplify business transactions between the East Coast and West Coast
- Today we are more connected and mobile which would suggest that we would benefit from fewer time zones
I guess the biggest drawback would be the fact that such large time zones would seemingly rob people of daylight by removing them farther from their natural solar time; however, commerce already does this for many people. For example people who trade in California already wake up in the early AM at the opening of the markets in New York. Also business has expanded beyond our borders and has become increasingly more international with the advent of video conferencing and internet.
Personally I would be all for a reduction in time zones. As a sports enthusiast I have a hard time staying up for the late night west coast games, it would be nice to have the usual 10:30 games starting at 8:30 or 9:30. I also love to travel which the new time zones would be very beneficial. Usually when I go from the East Coast to the West Coast on travel I usually lose a whole day due to tiredness. I always joke that I just am an irritable zombie the first day, which I am sure is a joy for the people I visit. Anyways I think that the new time zones could have a positive impact on our country. I am all for simplifying the way of life. I truly believe that less can be more. What do you think of the new time zones? Yay? or Nay?
Nunc Coepi 