It's not like the waste of a waterfall: the potential energy loss across a waterfall ignores the loss of freshwater. Suppose you drink water from a river and p

It's not like the waste of a waterfall: the potential energy loss across a waterfall ignores the loss of freshwater. Suppose you drink water from a river and piss in the river so the water ends up in the ocean, later someone diverts this river upstream straight to the ocean, would you really not care that the water no longer passes through your body? Does the knowledge that the water has returned to the ocean quench your thirst? The Panama Canal operators are throttling shipping capacity by about 10%. May I inform your employer you are ready to swallow a 10% reduction in pay check?