The 2008 SustainLane US City Rankings provide extensive coverage on the greening of the 50 most populous cities in the nation, and the most complete report card on urban sustainability in America. The report benchmarks each city's performance in 16 areas of urban sustainability. Now in its third edition, the peer-reviewed Rankings track the unfolding story of cities working to improve their residents' quality of life. Some cities are becoming more self-reliant and better prepared for an uncertain future, while others have been slow to act. Visit the SustainLane website to see their methodology and read of review of what makes a sustainable city, including transit, energy use, water quality and usage, air quality, green construction, solid waste, local food, housing affordability, and planning and land use (green cities have lots of green space, and develop inward instead of outward).

Columbus is ranked number 30 this year. Sustain Lane has the following to say about the city: Columbus is a veritable Phoenix rising from ashes as the city shoots up a full 20 spots from its rank as dead last in 2006. Cities looking for sustainable inspiration need look no further than the Buckeye state. Columbus just adopted a master bike plan that will add a thousand bike racks and 500 miles of paths and trails to the city by 2028. Columbus resident and cycling advocate Doug Morgan hopes the city will usurp the title of “Bike Capital of the US” from other better-known cycling cities like Portland and Seattle. With the city’s flat terrain and relatively nice weather, it might actually give those front-runners a cycle for their money! Bicycling Magazine ranks Columbus as one of the five cities to watch in the future.

The only other Ohio city listed is Cleveland, which ranked #16, up from #28 in 2006.

Visit www.sustainlane.com/us-city-rankings to see details.