Importers Institute Sells Carbon Credits
The Importers Institute announced today that it is offering to sell carbon credits to the public of New Zealand. This is
a great opportunity for concerned New Zealanders to reduce their eco-guilt.
New Zealand used to subsidise local assemblers of imported cars and televisions. This was done by the government
forbidding the importation of finished goods through import licensing, or by imposing high tariffs on those goods. The
net value added was usually negative - more resources were used in pretending to manufacture those goods here than in
importing them.
We can now import cars without going through the charade of pretending to make them here. What is more, New Zealanders
no longer feel the need to keep very old and inefficient cars on the road - most people can afford to recycle good
quality used cars that the Japanese no longer want.
The Importers Institute was actively involved in advocating the elimination of import licensing and the reduction in
tariffs. So, we have decided to claim the credit for the resulting reduction in our collective carbon footprint.
Now, you too can claim some of that credit! All you have to do is to send a cheque to the Institute's Auckland
Secretary, Daniel Silva P O Box 201080, Auckland 2150, New Zealand. What will you get in return? The same as what you
get from buying carbon credits anywhere - absolutely nothing.
However, if you *really* do care about sustainability, you will get a warm glow from assuaging your guilt. You will also
make Daniel Silva very happy, as he will be able to spend the loot on going to environmental conferences in Rio,
Acapulco, Waiheke Island , Oslo, Alaska, Kenya and similar destinations.
We have tried to calculate precisely the worth of each credit, but gave up when we realised that those calculations are
impossible to do with any degree of honesty. So, you can send as much or as little as you like but, remember, the more
money you send, the better you will feel about it.
You can send your donations anonymously, if you are into enjoying the warm glow of self righteousness in private, or you
can let us know who you are and we will guarantee you a listing in a mugs' gallery page in our website
www.importers.org.nz. And that's a promise!
ENDS