There are three times more cattle, hogs, sheep and chickens on earth than people, says Ensia, and with meat consumption on the rise around the world, the trend is toward mutton and chicken. Overall, meat consumption is forecast to rise 4 percent per person over the next decade, to an average 78.3 pounds. Poultry consumption would rise nearly 11 percent and sheep 9 percent while beef would hold steady and pork would drop by less than 1 percent.
“Why does all of this matter? Because while animal agriculture helps feed the planet, it also has a major impact on the environment,” says Ensia, citing an estimate that the livestock sector generates 15 percent of greenhouse gas emissions due to human activity. “As previously reported, switching from beef to chicken or pork can significantly reduce diet-related greenhouse gas emissions.”