First of all, thank you for calling me clever.

Here are my answers. (Satirical, cause that's all I know)

1. They cover the holes after they dig them. So next time, they have to go deeper to get the goods. Because the top ones have gone. Taken. Been burnt.

2. We're drinking/using water at a rate faster than Earth can rebuild its reserves. We've broken the system.

3. There is a vacuum. That's where all my unpublished drafts go too. Someone needs to shoot lasers at it.