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Time change debate lingers

It might be best to just stick with the two one-hour switches we have now each year
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The time change has nothing to do with the total amount of daylight in a 24-hour period. (Photo by Don Bodger)

It’s amazing how many people still believe the amount of daylight is somehow altered by changing our clocks twice each year.

Each day in the calendar year is obviously shorter or longer depending on the season, but has nothing to do with changing our clocks.

We didn’t magically create an extra hour of darkness by setting our clocks back one hour on Nov. 6. We simply allocated it differently with more light in the morning and less in the evening.

At the same time, more darkness is continually encroaching anyway by a few minutes every day up until Dec. 21 when total daylight in Chemainus in 24 hours bottoms out at eight hours, 14 minutes and 9 seconds.

Conversely, the progression toward the longest period of daylight continues immediately afterwards, peaking at 16 hours, 11 minutes and 33 seconds on June 21.

This is all dictated by our geographical position. Obviously, if we were nearer the equator we’d be looking at an entirely different set of circumstances and a more equitable spread of daylight hours throughout the year.

All the basic data outside, the question rages on about leaving our clocks unchanged or continuing to go back and forth an hour twice a year.

After several false starts, the situation has lingered because our American friends in the Pacific Northwest haven’t taken any action. And, to be consistent within the same coastal region, we keep waiting here in Canada to get in sync.

It’s long been thought leaving our clocks on Pacific Daylight Saving Time all year would be the answer. But that would mean a very late sunrise of 9:06 a.m. at the winter solstice.

There’s recently been more experts coming forward to suggest sticking with Pacific Standard Time all year would be better. But that would mean a sunrise time of 4:11 a.m. at the summer solstice which is mighty early.

After all the debate, it’s really beginning to look like it would be best to just keep changing our clocks twice every year. We can’t do anything about the total daylight hours we receive, but dividing it up the way we do now seems reasonable.



Don Bodger

About the Author: Don Bodger

I've been a part of the newspaper industry since 1980 when I began on a part-time basis covering sports for the Ladysmith-Chemainus Chronicle.
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