Nissan Leaf 2023 Impact List

Nissan has tweaked the 2023 Leaf a bit, but it’s still a utilitarian, zero-emissions vehicle. Priced at $27,800 in S trim, it’s still a bargain for those who need an inexpensive car that can go more than 149 miles on a charge.

The SV Plus is a much better value with a 60 kWh battery, a 214 horsepower electric motor and a range of 212 miles. But the CHAdeMO charging standard feels dated when most EVs have switched to CCS plugs.

1. End Homelessness

Despite being an affordable car, not a luxury vehicle, the 2023 Leaf receives very good crash safety ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS. It has active and passive safety systems, including automatic emergency braking and blind spot monitoring.

Ending homelessness requires immediate intervention — such as rapid re-housing programs — and long-term support through permanent housing and community integration projects. Community-based initiatives like this have been proven to be effective and cost-effective in countries around the world, such as halving the number of homeless people in Helsinki from 2008 to 2019.

Millions of renters are burdened with high housing costs. This is especially true for families with children, people living on incomes at or below the poverty level and those in communities with a long history of structural racism. This makes them more likely to lose their homes during a crisis. One of the best ways to address this issue is to expand the Housing Choice Voucher program, as the Build Back Better Act would do.

2. Permanent Supportive Housing

Called Permanent Supportive Housing, this program combines affordable housing assistance with best practice services for chronically homeless individuals and families. Communities using this model see better than 90% success in keeping people out of homelessness.

The 2023 Leaf has a comfortable cabin that seats five and features 30 cubic feet of storage space behind the second row seat. Its low-resolution display looks like an input, but it reacts quickly to inputs and offers a simple and straightforward menu structure. It also comes standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A premium seven-speaker Bose system is available.

State and federal policies that allocate development funds, such as the Low Income Housing Tax Credit or the National Housing Trust Fund, should be expanded to include projects that create permanent supportive housing for people with a history of homelessness. For example, project-based rent vouchers can be used in conjunction with other development funds to build and rehabilitate more such homes.

3. Mental health

Mental health is the emotional and psychological aspect of well-being. It is about a person’s ability to cope with life’s challenges and thrive in their environment.

Mental health promotion and prevention requires an approach that includes intervention strategies in a range of settings. These may include addressing the social and structural determinants of mental health and intervening in the community, workplace or other settings. They may be aimed at individuals, groups or populations and may involve cross-sectoral collaboration, for example in the education, labour, justice, transport, housing and welfare sectors.

One of the biggest obstacles to improving people’s mental health is the stigma associated with seeking help for a problem. This can be overcome by educating the public about mental health and making it as easy for people to get help as it is for them to get a physical or a vaccine. To that end, the government should rapidly expand HITECH incentives to include mental health care providers.

4. Volunteers

Many if not most non-profit organizations rely on volunteers to support their activities. Volunteering has been shown to improve well-being and can help people with disabilities, chronic health conditions or low incomes feel their contribution matters.

Volunteers also play a vital role in improving foster care programs and bringing joy to the lives of children in need of loving homes. In fact, a recent study found that people who volunteer have an increased sense of meaning and purpose in their lives.

LEAF identifies practical steps you can take to make your laboratory more sustainable, covering areas such as equipment, space use, ventilation, supply, waste, samples and chemicals. You can then estimate the carbon and financial savings achieved by your actions.