 |
|
This graph shows a devious technique used to "prove" that a given resource is not currently shrinking. Two points on a curve are deliberately chosen to distract from an earlier plateau. Without an historical context the resource may appear to be in good shape.
This is how cornucopian liars can be technically correct with statements like "there is more forest land today than there was 70 years ago" or "the air in Los Angeles was cleaner in 1990 than it was in 1970."
Many resources and species recovered from historical declines (through previously absent conservation) but are now losing ground to growth and consumption. Forest management and replanting has restored timber lost in old cutting frenzies, but demand for wood keeps rising, outstripping the capacity of finite tree-farm acreage. Modern cars may pollute less (per vehicle) than older ones, but population growth puts more of them on the road every day, wiping out the benefits.
Carefully chosen figures plucked from narrow time-frames cannot tell us about current trends.