[ceejayoz]

A more apt comparison than you realize.

Most of the carbon we spew into the atmosphere came from the air. Ancient plants took it in via respiration.

[FartyMcFarter]

That still doesn't make it a good comparison. The salt emitted by desalination plants is already in the sea now, it's not salt that went somewhere else.

[parineum]

And the water we take out eventually goes back.