Skip to main content

Abolish daylight saving time and divide the US into just two time zones, economist says

Abolish daylight saving time and divide the US into just two time zones, economist says

Share this story

global alarm clock flickr
global alarm clock flickr

The US operates on a time zone system designed in 1883. Having four different time zones made sense then, but it's crazy now, economist Allison Schrager argues over at Quartz. Dividing the country into just two time zones would assuage jet lag and make life easier for people who have to do business on two coasts. Nix daylight saving time, which was originally intended to save energy, and you have a time system that makes sense for modern life. "Research based on time use surveys found American’s schedules are determined by television more than daylight," Schrager writes. "That suggests in effect, Americans already live on two time zones."