Mexico is one of the largest nations on the planet, with the 10th largest population at almost 129 million. Compared to the other countries in the top 10, the country has a low population density, with just 66 people per square kilometer. In comparison, China has 153 people, India has 464, Pakistan has 287, and Bangladesh has a whopping 1,265 per km/sq.
With $1.22 trillion of nominal GDP, Mexico also has a substantial and competitive economy. The country has the 15th largest GDP, making it the second-largest economy in Latin America, behind only Brazil.
Mexico’s economy has enjoyed strong growth in recent years too, expanding by 2% in 2017 and 2.9% in 2016, showing a general upward trend for the future.
But, despite being an economic powerhouse and housing the 10th largest population in the world, Mexico is taking steps to protect the environment. The country’s private sector has been working hard to change their operations, limit their environmental impact, and boost their sustainable practices.
Here are some of the industries that have been making key changes:
Cement Industry
The cement industry is a big business for Mexico. With a capacity to create 64 million tons each year, it is the second-largest cement producer in the region. According to the BBC, the cement industry produces around 8% of the entire global CO2 emissions.
That’s why Cemex has been making big changes to create tangible improvements to its environmental impact. Most of this has been done by using technology, integrating environmental management and control into the company’s manufacturing processes.
This helps to minimize the greenhouse gases that it emits and provides detailed statistics on its performance, all of which the company makes available to the public. Through this approach, the company has been able to reduce its CO2 emissions by 10%.
The Casino Industry
The casino industry is strong in Mexico. It is estimated that it directly employs around 40,000 people, with 120,000 indirectly linked to the sector. Its large gaming houses are packed with slot machines, electronic gaming tables, TV screens that display live sports, kitchens, bars, and management equipment, all of which consumes a lot of energy.
Many casinos in the country use modern video slot machines, which are more energy-efficient than technology that is several decades old. However, some companies are able to have a bigger environmental impact by going digital.
Like many other industries that enjoy lower costs, more efficient operations, and lower emissions by moving their business online, the casino industry has been able to make a huge reduction in impact. For example, online operators in many countries are able to offer casino games through their websites, which can drastically cut the CO2 emitted by the industry. By letting players wager on games from home, online casinos don’t need to heat and light a building or run hundreds of slot machines around the clock. It also means that customers don’t travel to the venue, reducing their travel-related emissions.
Other benefits include not needing to hold and transport cash to and from banks, not taking deliveries of food and drinks, not dealing with physical waste, no need for paper betting slips, and no need for polluting cleaning products.
The Water Industry
Bottled water is big business in Mexico. The average Mexican consumes 253 liters of bottled water each year. That’s more than twice what a typical European drinks, and almost 10 times the global average.
To help reduce the environmental impact of the industry in the country, the Mexican bottled water company Bonafont has begun to create bottles made from 100% recycled materials. These 6-litre bottles are reported to reduce contamination by 80%.
The company’s smaller products, including its 330ml and 600ml bottles, are made from 25% recycled material.
However, more still needs to be done to reduce the impact of water consumption in the country. Particularly around providing clean and safe tap water to more Mexicans and educating people that it is drinkable. Some changes have been made recently, with restaurants no longer refusing requests for a glass of tap water.
