Consider this:

All the ants on the planet, taken together, have a biomass grater than that of humans, Ants have been incredibly industrious for millions of years. Yet their productiveness nourishes plants, animals, and soil. Human industry has been in full swing for little over a century, yet it has brought about a decline in most every ecosystem on the planet. Nature doesn´t have a design problem. People do.

Cradle to cradle, William McDonough & Michael Braungart.