I think we need to being with an analysis of the question -- is the world a worse place because humans are on it?
This seems to be a question of "pollution" and other "damage" that we humans are causing to the planet. But, are we? Certainly every animal on this planet pollutes to one degree or another. As pointed out above, elephants trample the grass and knock down trees. Elephants poop quite a bit and are not concerned at all where they do it. Their poop may get into their own water supply, causing disease for themselves and other animals around them.
Now, it is true that humans have evolved in a way where we have quite the mental ability to make tools. And, we use those tools to make other tools, to accomplish something. One of the tools that we have made is the drill bit and the oil drilling rig. We brought up that oil because we like to get from point A to point B (travel) in a reasonable amount of time. We didn't like our horses pooping all over the place (causing disease, no doubt), so we invented cars. We now can travel at 70 mph instead of 5 mph. We further invented airplanes go to 500 mph instead of 70 mph and be able to fly over the oceans (about 15 hours from LAX to HKG). We are still in a debate stage as to whether burning said fossil fuels are damaging the planet or not. The planet is a pretty amazing place. If the weather warms a bit, plants grow in areas where they previously didn't, creating more oxygen, which over time will cool the planet and balance things out. The temperature on the planet has been going up and down since the beginning of the planet. So, it is not really clear or proven that added CO2 is really making a difference, or even if it is, is something that the planet can't handle. The planet is a big place and we humans are a pretty small part of it.
In addition to using that oil for transportation, we also make plastic out of it and use it to create electricity. We also make copper wire by digging up the copper, then using energy to transform that copper into wires. We string those wires to bring electricity and Internet service to our homes. We use the plastic to make the case for our computers and other electronics. All so we can communicate with each other in forums such as this on the Internet (and, all those other things that we do on the Internet!)
We also use our oil energy to make toilets and copper pipes to bring water to our homes. With that, we build a sewer system and treat our sewage, instead of, like the elephant above, just poop anywhere that we feel like it. So, we are pretty nice to the planet ... which, is just a big rock in space. It doesn't really have any feelings. We collect and treat our sewage so that we control our own disease and that our poop (untreated) does not get back into our water supply, causing us illness. We do it to keep our environment safe and clean for ourselves and for the other animals, who, unlike us, can't really think through these issues (thus, like the elephant, poop anywhere, anytime).
However, the question itself is kind of moot. We are here, whether you believe that we got here as a result of evolution or creation (I personally believe the former). We don't have to unnecessarily damage the planet by dumping toxic chemicals into a river, but at the same time, like the elephants walking around looking for something to eat, we don't have to make our life like Little House on the Prairie either. We don't have to saddle up our horse to ride into town (or walk it). We can have a car, jump in that car and drive down to the supermarket to buy our food. And, the food didn't magically appear at the supermarket. It got there in 18 wheel semi-trucks, powered by, you guessed it, oil refined into diesel.
And, you know, we humans are a curious bunch. We like mental stimulation. So, we need our Internet (powered by oil -- I'm not going to surf the web just when it is daylight and I can get power from my solar panel). And, we like to go places and see new things. So, we drive to work to make money, so we can drive or fly somewhere on vacation. While there, we are going to stay in a hotel (built by man and machine, those machines using oil). We are going to eat while there, again requiring oil to get the food and the people to the location.
May I suggest that we consider if the world would be better off without viruses that kill us before we work on the question of should we kill ourselves off to make the planet a better place for the animals that remain. And, FYI, at least for my dog, I'm pretty sure she prefers the food I feed her to having to hunt for food -- even though she thinks she is a hunting dog.
