California is heading to darkness

My state senator is trying to make the standard time permanent.

Photo by Jason Mavrommatis on Unsplash

One of the best things about California is our sunlight. We get something to the tune of 300 days of sunlight per year and during summer nights our light can stretch past 8pm. My childhood is marked with biking around the neighborhood at sundown with friends, brisk 80-degree Sacramento heat warming us as night approached.

Like many Californians, I love the afternoon sunlight and dread turning clocks backwards during daylight standard time from November to March. In fact, so many Californians agree with me that our state voted on a ballot initiative in 2018 to make daylight savings permanent. The permanent switch hasn’t happened yet because it requires Congressional approval and Congress is, well, a pile of bug feed.

Enter my California state senator, Roger Niello, with the completely logical idea to subvert the will of California voters by making standard time permanent (to avoid any confusion, standard time is the one we have from November – March, when it gets dark earlier). Mr. Niello has stated that medical professionals promote standard time as healthier for our circadian rhythm. Niello, at the ripe age of 75, also says he prefers more light in the morning so of course permanent standard time makes sense.

There’s just one question Mr. Niello needs to answer: what makes you think you have the right to do the opposite of what the majority of California voters approved?

California is special because of our sunlight. When I lived on the East Coast I got seasonal affective depression because I was so used to having my consistent Vitamin D that 6 weeks of cloudy Cambridge weather put me in an irritable, poor mood. Afternoon light lets Californians enjoy more of our great state and its outdoor splendor after they get off work. It lets our kids – especially in areas without fancy overhead lights - play sports and enjoy their evenings for longer. My mom, one of the United States national Petanque champions & international representatives, needs sunlight to practice her game. Permanent standard time would shut much of this down. Summer nights would last until 7 instead of 8. Spring nights 6 instead of 7. Voters quite literally want the opposite.

I don’t think Mr. Niello’s proposal will become law, nor should it. The people have made their voices clear on the issue and we don’t want this. I’ve written to him directly with my concerns and if you live in California, I encourage you to do the same.

Tell him: hands off my sunlight!