Should New England Change Time Zones?

BOSTON (CBS) – This week a lot of us have probably stolen a second glance at a clock to make sure it’s right. We’ve had an extra cup of coffee or two. And we definitely have had some very dark evening commutes. Such is life under Eastern Standard Time. But there’s one man on a crusade to put an end to the madness. Tom Emswiler, a health advocate in the Boston area, says we should unite under one time-zone banner. But Eastern Time isn’t it. He says if you’re going to choose a time zone, why not pick the one you’re already using eight months a year? Atlantic Standard Time – the same as Daylight Saving Time all year long. “The point I’m trying to get across is that New England lies so much farther east that we really are in a different part of the country,” says Emswiler. It’s true; our sunsets are markedly later than our friends in Hartford, CT or New York, NY. The earliest of the year will come on December 8th – a miserable 4:11pm. This issue comes to (lack of) light because the Eastern Time zone is enormous. It’s the largest of any in the U.S., and we’re on the far end of it. Atlantic Standard Time is the zone used by eastern Canada, parts of the Caribbean, and much of South America. But Dr. David Prerau, author of ‘Seize the Daylight,’ says changing our ways could get messy. “Living near a time zone boundary is not very pleasant. People find it confusing, inconvenient, troublesome,” says Prerau. He notes that many of the borders are ...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health Local News Seen On WBZ-TV Syndicated Local Watch Listen David Prerau Daylight Savings Time Eric Fisher time zones Tom Emswiler Source Type: news