Transcript:
On the west side of Salt Lake City, customers stop in at Culture Coffee for caffeine and conversation.
Stone: “We have all our clients that come in and get coffee and relax and hang out. And it’s really just a safe space for all different walks of life.”
That’s Eric Stone. He and Isaac Atencio co-own the cafe and adjoining barber shop, Salt Lake Barber Company. With their businesses, they work to build and support community.
And during a neighborhood power outage, they can continue doing so thanks to rooftop solar panels and batteries that keep the electricity running.
Atencio: “We could be handing ice out the doors, or we could have air conditioning running if we needed. We could also have a place for people to charge their phones.”
The businesses worked with the nonprofit Utah Clean Energy on the solar and battery project, which was funded through grant money and tax credits.
And Atencio says generating their own clean energy is also saving them a lot of money on their utility bills.
Atencio: “Ultimately it has been a real great boon to us from both a bottom-line perspective, but also another way where we get to live our mission and show that we really believe in sustainability and also, you know, be a hub of resiliency in the event of sustained power outages for the neighborhood.”
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media
