Happy Tuesday

“The sun is a daily reminder that we too can rise again from the darkness.”

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In today’s issue, we’ll take a look at:

• Solar just outpaced every other power source in Utah

• Why coffee shops boost productivity

• You could be paying less for electricity

• Sunset of the day

• How to protect your inbox

Solar Just Outpaced Every Other Power Source in Utah

For most of the last decade, Utah's power grid ran on coal, generating the majority of the state's electricity from it. That story just flipped, and it happened faster than almost anyone expected.

For the first time ever, solar generated more electricity than any other source in the state, producing nearly a third of Utah's power in May. A decade ago, coal supplied as much as 78 percent of the state's electricity. That's a genuinely dramatic shift.

A lot of that comes down to a handful of big projects coming online. The Green River Energy Center, a solar and battery storage site in central Utah, switched on this spring and alone adds 400 megawatts of solar power to the grid. Add in the jobs solar now supports statewide, nearly 8,000 of them, and you've got an industry that's genuinely reshaping the state's economy, not just its skyline.

Energy experts say the sunny, dry climate means Utah still has plenty of room left to grow. If a state once defined by coal can pull off a shift like this, it's a good reminder that energy transitions can happen faster than we think.

Why Coffee Shops Boost Productivity

Some days a home office feels less like a productivity hub and more like a staring contest with the fridge. If that sounds familiar, your favorite coffee shop might genuinely be the better call, and there's real science behind why.

A few reasons it works, according to researchers:

• The ambient noise hits a sweet spot, around 70 decibels, that's just enough to spark creativity without becoming distracting

• A new setting gives your brain a small jolt of novelty, which sharpens focus and memory

• Being around focused strangers has a motivating effect, since effort tends to be contagious

• The natural time limit, parking, closing hours, and the one more latte effect create a helpful sense of urgency

None of that means you need to abandon your home office for good. But next time you're stuck in a rut, it might be worth grabbing your laptop and heading somewhere with a little background hum.

Sunset of the Day

Reader Corinne shared this moody, glowing shot from Key West. There's just something about the drama of storm clouds mixed in with a sunset that hits different.

Thank you to Corinne for sharing your sunset with us! Want to be featured next? Send us your best sunrise or sunset photo.

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