Blue Community Program
Strategies For the Caribbean Region

and Gulf Coast States

The Waves of Change Blue Community program is an opportunity for coastal communities to declare their own work to protect the oceans and promote ocean sustainability.

The oceans are under increasing threats from pollution, overfishing, impacts of climate change including coral bleaching, ocean acidification, and increased storm intensity.  The Waves of Change campaign is responding to these issues with ocean clean up programs, improving ocean literacy, supporting ocean champions, ecosystems restoration, and programs to adapt and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Unless policies for protection of the oceans and promotion of ocean sustainability are increased, coastal communities are likely to experience adverse impacts.   

The good news is that every community has the opportunity to do its part to reverse current trends.  Every community has its own unique challenges and opportunities to become a Blue Community.

The process is simple and straightforward.  The Blue Community program in collaboration with Sustainable Travel International has a process for certification of lodges, tour operators, attractions, and resorts in a community for sustainability certification.

In addition the Blue Communtiy program is presently working to support the Global Sustainable Tourism Critiera for communities and destinations seeking to become sustainable, reduce disaster risks, and improve their economy through eco-friendly tourism.

Who Is Interested in The Blue Community Model?

• Government officials
• Resorts and related tourism industry
• College and Universities
• Economic Development 
• Environmental Ministers 
• Environmental NGO’s
• Individuals
   

Sustainability, Disaster Reduction, and Economic Development will be the three major themes of the Blue Community Program.

Sustainability

The Blue Community program provides sustainability strategies for energy, water, food, transportation, health, and much more.  Walt Disney World™ in strategically addressing these concerns.  

Walt Disney Company corporate goals are good bench marks for others working to be a Blue Community.

Disaster Reduction & Vulnerability Management 

The United Nations International Strategies for Disaster Reduction program has identified sustainability as the best way to prevent, mitigate, and recover from potential disasters. The Blue Community program provide a number of best practices for disaster reduction and vulnerability management.

Economic Development & Eco-Friendly Tourism

For a travel and leisure company to utilize Blue Community strategies they must be economical. Walt Disney World™ provides a model for the economic benefits of a sustainability program. The Blue Community program provides strategies to enhance eco-friendly tourism and reduce costs in areas such as: energy, fertilizer, water, transportation, and other strategies to both attract tourism, and reduce costs of resort operations.