New England States Could Band Together to Join Atlantic Time, Stop Changing Clocks
A clock in the Auburn Mall in 2006. Photo by Binkley27 via Creative Commons
New England states are considering the idea of sticking with daylight saving time year ’round. Proposals to make the switch are being taken up by several legislatures, including Maine’s.
The idea is to stop “falling back” and “springing ahead” at each change of seasons and shine a little more light on cold winter evenings. But there are political and other considerations when it comes to the passage of time.
The concept of adjusting the clock to suit social needs appears to be Benjamin Franklin’s, in a jesting bit of advice to the French to start their days earlier, work more during the sunny hours and thereby save on candle wax. In 1962 our federal government standardized the practice of “daylight saving time” and, now, 48 U.S. states deploy it in an effort to match work hours and sunlight.