Brief - The Hustle

Digits: NJ’s gas debate, music revenues, 15-minute delivery flops, and more

Written by Jacob Cohen | Mar 14, 2022 8:46:48 AM

1) New Jersey — love it or hate it — is debating whether to end its 73-year-long practice of having gas station attendants pump your gas. Some say stopping the practice could save drivers 15 cents a gallon; others say it’ll erase thousands of jobs.

2) US recorded music revenue hit $15B in 2021 — its best year ever, and up 23% from 2020. Streaming comprised 83% of that, but physical sales were up 42.3% to $1.66B. Vinyl alone notched $1B, up 61%.

3) Europe is searching for ways to replace Russian energy imports, which equate to $1B of fuel every day. It’s weighing its options, but interestingly, turning all European thermostats down by 1 degree Celsius would drop demand by 7%.

4) Fifteen-minute delivery startups face absolutely brutal economics. Last week, Fridge No More, with 600 employees, shut down after a failed DoorDash deal, and Russian-backed Buyk furloughed 98% of its staff (due to sanction-related funding cuts).

5) Mumbai recently laid out plans to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, which is 20 years ahead of India’s nationwide goal. Without intervention, experts say climate change could cost India $35T over the next 50 years.