We are lucky to live at the time that we do. Socially responsible business practices are driving many companies that we use. They want to make great products. They want to be more than an institution that makes and sells products. They want to make a profit, yes, but many, like Nissan, are sacrificing some of their profits in order to move society forward.

I am writing about Nissan because we are giving away one of their most popular items--a 2013 Nissan Altima. People go crazy for the Altima because of it's quality and reliability. It looks great, too. Click here for the contest details.

When I talk about Nissan as a company that is advancing society, a big part of that is because of their work on their electric vehicle, the Leaf. The technology is all brand new, and some of it is imperfect. The infrastructure to completely support the use of electric cars is not yet here. In spite of this, Nissan spends its own money to keep pushing the idea forward because it will make such a difference in the long run. I've heard it said that Nissan loses money on every Leaf they sell, so why do they do it?

It's because they care about the future of our planet, our people and their business. They realize that to be comfortable with their status quo is as good as dying, so they keep striving forward.

After driving both the Leaf and the Nissan Altima that we are giving away, I can feel how the quest for the most advanced technology on the planet carries over into their most popular model. The Altima simply responds to everything I want as a driver.

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