September 2011
The subject this month was going to be the critical financial security of our baby boomers (over fifty five years old) relative to the highly volatile stock markets, debt markets, geopolitical markets, and property markets.
That is until I was proverbially knocked off my perch by news bigger than any market volatility [if you are a reader you must have expected the latter, so no new news].
Would you believe that on Monday August 22 2011, Australia became the first country in the world to pass legislation granting carbon credits to farmers??
Not a Bill, not a debate, not a word, LEGISLATION. It is now law.
Carbon credits farmers can sell!! They actually educate farmers how to do it as well.
Well, I am writing this before publication of the Valley Voice, 24 hours after this event.
By the time this article is published it may well be in mainstream media in Australia.
But my research shows today that this has not been published in any Australian media whatsoever at the time of writing.
I remain gobsmacked.
If you read the international press it is in mainstream media, industry media, and “green” media all over the world. You can’t count the number of independent reports and news articles on “Google”.
Just don’t call Australian farmers, because they would never know about it.
Naturally curious, I then went to the various sites to learn how I could understand more. Okay, maybe make some money out of it on my farm.
And I read the announcements, was directed to the website, and I am now a registered claimant on the Australian government website for the carbon credits available from my farm.
My brief analysis suggests about $20,000 per annum pre tax. Without moving a finger except at the computer. More active initiatives could create more.
At first the barriers of working out how to quantify the credits [which are likely to sell for $20-30 per tonne] appear high. The equations, took me back to when I used to be smart but somehow am not now. I thought toss that, the government is only looking after the big farmers who can afford expensive advisors. Scientists maybe. WRONG. They provide all the software and other tools required for farmers to participate in both unsophisticated and sophisticated forms to establish carbon measurement and sale. Online, Government registered, easy, and FREE.
Although they do remind you in the small print that lying to the Government is a criminal offence subject to mandatory gaol terms.
So care is still required.
The Government site provides all the (very complex) software for the carbon sequestration identification, analysis, modelling and pricing. You couldn’t credit it. Let alone afford it otherwise. Also the application forms, the “help” documents required to understand them, and even likely projects you could consider.
Within a half hour, I had mapped my property and was well on the way to understanding how I could participate in this necessary legislative initiative, both make money, and help climate change. Choose either one, making money and/or helping climate change. I know that climate sceptic farmers, once they know how easy it is, will all be online, in spite of…..
So this is not just new legislation, it actually already works. Ye gad!!
Good luck!!.. Maybe it calls for a Kangaroo Valley community initiative to fully benefit all of us and also the farmers. Certainly fits our community profile.
In the meantime, all those over 55’s year olds should be out planting their veggie patches, patting those chooks, singing to their fruit trees, doing the rumba for the wombats, because your savings are under attack. For a long time.
Disclaimer: This is not advice. I am not licensed to give advice of any kind. Advice can be understood as individual advice to a person about their particular financial circumstances, or general advice about investing. So you cannot, and should not, rely on anything written here. You should only rely on advice from a licensed advisor. If this article has sparked interest please seek out a licensed advisor.