Robdemanc wrote:
In the UK David Cameron is talking about ending BST and just having the same time as western Europe. But the problem with this is that it will mean in the winter we will be going dark at 3pm and in the summer the sun will rise before 4 am.
In Scotland and northern England the sun may not rise until after 10 am in the winter which means it will be dark when people go to work and school.
I think in mid winter period (December and January) the working day should be reduced to 10 am to 4 pm. But the slave driving authorities would not allow it.
I hadn't thought of this aspect of the problem -- people who live in northern latitudes have a different farreaching issue. I know someone from Estonia who made similar observations, and we concluded a latitudinal solution may be an answer. That is, Latitudinal Saving Time may make more sense.
The problem is the change in routine. Studies show that animals that live on human schedules, such as pets and livestock, are adversely affected by the change. The change causes stress that affects their behavior:
"'When humans change the clocks for daylight saving, to suit our preferred working environment, from an animal's point of view, we are suddenly behaving oddly,' Holdhus-Small said. 'To the animals, it is inexplicable that suddenly dinner is an hour later or earlier than expected.'
This behavior shift could cause animals psychological and physiological stress, Holdhus-Small said. A cow's udder, for example, will continue to produce milk regardless of DST and pressure will build up until the cow is milked. Household pets might get grumpy when they show up to an empty food dish at their perceived dinner time." (
http://www.livescience.com/13166-pets-a ... -time.html)
Needless to say, it affects us as well, and even more so people for whom routine is highly important.
Our use of DST is predicated on the assumptions of a modern industrial society (WWI era) and followed today based on many reasons such as darkness and energy efficiency but the big wrench in the works is the overlay of time schedules to which we are made to adhere. I think my work hours should change with the time. or maybe I can find a job that would have that kind of flexibility.
11 Mar 2014, 1:11 pm
