The Price of Green- When saving the planet becomes a premium product.
Story: S A Spencer
“Let’s give them a choice,” the CEO said, his voice
smooth as the recycled glass water bottle he sipped from. “A Green Energy Plan.
Same electricity, but with a conscience. People will pay 25% more if they think
they’re saving the planet.”
The boardroom nodded. Except one.
Ravi, a mid-level marketing executive, flipped through the
proposal. “We’re buying solar at 3 cents per kilowatt. Selling it at 40. And
now we’ll charge 50 for the same electricity, just with a green label?”
The CEO’s smile didn’t waver. “It’s not about the product.
It’s about the emotion.”
Ravi hesitated. “A customer told me yesterday—‘This is
daylight robbery. You’re brainwashing people. That extra money’s just going to
your bloody CEO’s bonus.’”
The room froze. Someone coughed. Another adjusted his tie.
The CEO leaned forward. “You’re excused, Ravi.”
The next morning, Ravi’s access card blinked red. Security
didn’t say a word. As he was escorted out, he passed a bin. Inside, a green
folder. Crumpled.
He didn’t go home. Not yet. He sat in a café across the
street from the company’s headquarters, watching the glass building reflect the
morning sun like a polished lie. His phone buzzed—HR confirmation of
termination. No severance. Breach of conduct.
He ordered a coffee. Black. No sugar.
Ravi hadn’t always been cynical. He joined the company five
years ago, fresh from a climate policy fellowship. He believed in clean energy.
In impact. In truth.
His father had worked in a coal plant for thirty years. Died
of lung disease. Ravi had promised himself he’d help build a better future. But
somewhere along the way, the spreadsheets got shinier than the ideals.
He remembered the first time he pitched a campaign: “Green
is the new Guilt.” It was meant to be ironic. The CEO loved it. It became their
tagline.
Inside the company, dissent was a virus. Meetings were echo
chambers of buzzwords: “sustainability,” “carbon offset,” “eco-premium.” Ravi
had tried to push back before. Gently. Strategically. But this time, he’d said
too much.
He wasn’t just fired. He was erased. His name removed from
internal documents A colleague texted him: “Sorry man. You poked the wrong
bear.”
Ravi spent the next few days in silence. He didn’t tell his
wife right away. She was pregnant. Seven months. He didn’t want to add stress.
Instead, he started writing. Not a resume. A blog post. He
called it The Price of Green. He didn’t name the company. But he told
the story. Truthfully. Sharply.
He posted it. It got 12 views the first day. Then 300. Then
10,000.
A week later, a journalist reached out. Then a podcast. Then
a whistleblower from another energy firm. Ravi’s story had struck a nerve.
People weren’t just angry about the pricing. They were angry
about the manipulation. The illusion of choice. The monetisation of morality.
One comment read: “I paid extra for green energy thinking
I was helping the planet. Turns out I was just helping a CEO buy a third
yacht.”
The company issued a statement: “We stand by our commitment
to sustainability and transparency.” They didn’t mention Ravi. But they quietly
removed the green energy premium from their website. Rebranded the plan.
“EcoSmart.”
Ravi got offers. Consulting gigs. Speaking engagements. But
he turned most of them down. He didn’t want to become another brand.
Instead, he started a small nonprofit. Focused on energy
literacy. Helping people understand what they were really paying for.
One night, Ravi stood outside the old office building. Same
glass walls. Same solar panels on the roof. He watched the lights flicker
inside.
He didn’t feel victorious. Just clear.
He pulled out his phone. Opened his blog. Typed:
“Green energy should be a promise, not a product.
Truth should be a baseline, not a luxury.
And conscience should never come with a surcharge.”
He hit publish.
Final Thoughts
We all want to believe we’re making a difference. But when
corporations turn virtue into a product, who’s really being saved?
Sometimes, the most powerful energy isn’t solar or wind—it’s the courage to speak up.
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