Jax #23 in 2008 US City Sustainability Rankings

It's that time of year folks. It's the time for endless best and worst of lists for all that 2008 had to offer. And this time it's good news for Jacksonville. The 2008 US City Sustainability Rankings has Jacksonville listed as number 23 (up from #36 in 2006) city out of the largest 50 cities in the country. For once we are in the top 50% for something positive. Oh, yeah! We gonna party like it's 2009!

What are the US City Sustainability Rankings and how are they determined? From the Sustain Lane website:
"The SustainLane 2008 US City Rankings of the 50 most-populous cities is the nation’s most complete report card on urban sustainability. The rankings explain how people's quality of life and city economic and management preparedness are likely to fare in the face of an uncertain future.

These indicators gauge, for instance, which cities’ public transit, renewable energy, local food, and development approaches are most likely to either limit or intensify the negative economic and environmental impacts of fossil fuel dependence."

For a more in-depth explanation of the hows and wherefores click here.

The ranking are broken into 16 categories and you can see how Jax ranked in all of them by clicking on the chart below.

Jacksonville finished 38th and in the challenged column for City Commuting. Washington D.C. finished first with New York right behind.
Another thing I couldn't help but notice is the N/A under Energy & Climate Change Policy, City Innovation and Knowledge Base & communications. The chart lists the reason for the N/A as "Not enough information provided."

Anyone that has been in Jax for more than a few months knows that the N/A really means Not Applicable. It's something we see and hear a lot of when it comes to information from our city. The leaders of Jacksonville I'm sure would reply with a solid "huh?" when it comes to any questions or statements that would pertain or include anything to do with the words, terms or phrases that contain, Energy Policy, Innovation, Knowledge or Communication.

Check the top 10 cities and see how they are ranked for those categories and I think you'll see why Jacksonville falls short when compared.

But as everyone here is so fond of saying, "it's getting better."