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community
development
Ouro objective in BICA Utila is to create financial diversification options for communities that in one way or another are involved with natural resources, thus reducing the pressure exerted by human actions on wildlife and their ecosystems.
Waste People and Reef Health
Currently in the community development program we have projects which through citizen science activities are intended to increase community awareness of the effects of waste (solid and liquid) on coral reefs and human health and use the data collected to promote a municipal ordinance for waste separation.
Brand Audits
Break Free From Plastic takes garbage clean-up a step further by documenting the brands found on the plastic waste collected during a clean-up. This helps us identify the companies responsible for plastic pollution. No matter how much we try to avoid buying plastic and no matter how much we recycle, it will never be enough. The rate at which companies extract fossil fuels to make more plastic packaging will always undermine our individual efforts.
To truly solve the plastic problem, we are calling on these companies to stop producing so much unnecessary single-use plastic in the first place. Instead, we urge these companies to move towards real solutions that completely eliminate the need for single-use plastic packaging.
It is an activity that involves conducting a clean-up at a specific location and then identifying the brands found on the waste. The types of products and packaging are also identified. It is important to change the narrative about who is responsible for pollution. Companies are responsible for the design of their products; what is designed to be thrown away will be thrown away.
Ways to Give
Join us in protecting the stunning marine and coastal biodiversity of the Bay Islands in Honduras by supporting our conservation efforts and safeguarding the future of our oceans for generations to come.
Founded in 1990 by concerned citizens, the Bay Islands Conservation Association (BICA) is a grassroots organization dedicated to safeguarding the future well-being of the Bay Islands, Honduras. It is a private, non-profit entity coordinating and initiating efforts to protect the islands' delicate natural resources. To effectively carry out its operations, BICA has established three strategically located chapters on each island—Utila, Roatan, and Guanaja. Additionally, it has recently expanded to Tampa, FL, where it has obtained official 501c3 status to facilitate donations from interested individuals and groups.
With over 30 years of experience, BICA has successfully implemented various programs and projects in the Bay Islands, focusing on environmental education, community development, protection, and research & monitoring. Since 1994, BICA has entered into a co-management agreement with the Institute of Forestry Conservation and Wildlife (ICF) to jointly manage the marine and terrestrial protected areas in the Bay Islands of Honduras.
