Every December, I get some version of this question from people who want their holiday giving to mean something. They don’t want to buy more stuff; they don’t want their money to go to waste; and they love the idea of giving someone they care about a financial gift that also builds a better world.

Every year around this time, I find myself holding my breath. A COP meeting rolls around, the headlines flood in, protesters march, and I brace for yet another disappointing outcome. Another round of world leaders kicking the can down the road, leaving a bigger mess for whoever comes after. Another reminder that the people at the top are not coming to save us.

Lately, it’s felt like the green economy’s been sideswiped by a Hummer.

Everywhere I turn, people are tired. The news is grim. And I can feel the quiet discouragement setting in—the sense that maybe we’ve lost momentum, that maybe the climate deniers have won this round.

But here’s the thing: the data tells a very different story.

Death and money are two of our culture’s greatest taboos. Put them together, and you have a recipe for disaster. Too often, I meet people who have just lost a parent or loved one and are forced to make some of the biggest financial decisions of their lives while they’re deep in grief.

We used to build a lot of housing owned by nonprofits and co-operatives in Canada, but no more. We’re left with the age-old question “Who’s going to pay for it?”. Fortunately, we have a great answer – Community Bonds!