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Barrister & Solicitor 69 Mill St. E Acton 28 Paisley St. Guelph Phone: 519-824-2242 Fax :519-824-3049 Carin Pelka Licenced Paralegal Specializing in Workplace Safety & Insurance Board - Claims/Revenue 69 Mill Street East Acton, ON By appointment only 519-853-2091 We handle all insurance work • Truck Accessories • Upholstery • Heavy Equipment Glass • Window Tinting 354 Guelph Street, Georgetown (905)873-1655 • House Cleaning & Organizing • Party Preparation • Outdoor tidy up • Property Watch for Snowbirds Janet Handy 905-630-9855 janethandy1@gmail.com Handy Home Detailing Customized Solutions for your busy life  Buy  Sell  Trade Records and Music Related Items Stereo & Equipment Repair Expert Community Corner By: David SuzukiSCienCe matterSScienceMatters By David SuzukiLarge dams fail on climate change and Indigenous rights Brazil has flooded large swaths of the Amazon for hydro dams, despite opposition from Indigen- ous Peoples, environmentalists and others. The country gets 70 per cent of its electricity from hydropower. Brazil's government had plans to expand development, opening half the Amazon basin to hydro. But a surprising announcement could halt that. In an interview with O Glo- bo, Mines and Energy Executive Secretary Paulo Pedrosa said the government is reconsidering hydro construction in the face of societal pressure, environmental damage and increasingly competitive renew- able energy options. We can see parallels in Canada, where large hydro projects have been pushed through despite simi- lar opposition and concerns. With an October election in Bra- zil, things could change, but we hope whatever government holds power will recognize there are better options than large-scale hydro. We also hope the B.C. government will reconsider its decision to proceed with Site C. Hydropower isn't as "green" as many people once thought, and cli- mate change creates new challenges. Decades of research show green- house gas emissions from large hydroelectric projects can be sub- stantial, especially if carbon dioxide emitted during steel and concrete manufacturing and construction ac- tivities is accounted for. Decomposing materials in res- ervoirs emit methane, a far more potent greenhouse gas than CO2 over the short term. A 2016 study confirmed findings of studies from Canada and elsewhere going back decades that methane emissions from hydro dams are far greater than previously estimated. Minimum emissions are similar to those from generating electricity using natural gas. And receding glaciers and chan- ges in precipitation patterns from global warming put hydro dams at risk because of lower water levels. Large-scale hydro also causes enormous environmental and so- cial damage, including farmland and habitat destruction, changes to waterways and water tables, and dis- placement of Indigenous Peoples. Where large areas of land are flooded, mercury in fish increases several-fold, making this traditional source of protein risky to eat. In Canada, large-scale projects such as Site C in B.C. and Musk- rat Falls in Labrador run counter to our commitments to combat climate change and respect Indigen- ous Peoples' rights. Both projects are over budget and years behind schedule. Canada's auditor general recent- ly found the current mid-century climate strategy won't meet our international commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent between 2005 and 2050. These facts and rapid improve- ments in electricity generation suggest Canada should rethink its climate strategy. Renewable energy options can generate needed electri- city for lower cost and in a timelier manner, as a recent Site C analysis shows. Conservation measures can reduce energy needs. Solar and wind power have in- creased in efficiency and decreased in cost at several times the rates es- timated a decade ago. The lowest electricity cost in Canada is from an Alberta wind farm, which will supply 600 MW of electricity at an average cost of 3.7 cents per kWh, at least three times lower than Site C power. Fears that solar and wind are unpredictable have been nullified by recent developments in mega- storage batteries. In November, Tesla installed a 100-MW battery in Australia's outback to handle power outages and daily demand fluctuations. In contrast to recent hydroelectric projects, it was de- livered ahead of schedule and on budget. Despite Natural Resources Can- ada's identification of enormous geothermal resources in Canada, this power source has scarcely been considered, except for shallow heat pumps for individual dwellings and buildings. Many oil and gas wells in Western Canada reach hot water, which might be used either directly or to map underground isotherms that allow efficient drilling for geo- thermal power. Expertise for drilling geothermal wells already exists in the oilpatch, facilitating the transfer of jobs from old fossil fuel tech- nology to less carbon-intensive industries. Provincial and federal gov- ernment ministers have touted continued development of oil- sands, LNG-fired electricity and pipelines as interim activities needed to make the transition to a low-carbon economy. As the aud- itor-general's report demonstrates, these activities will prevent Can- ada from fulfilling its international obligations to reduce emissions. We have neither need nor time for transitional industries. Brazil's announcement sets an example. Canada must also meet its commitments to reduce green- house gases and improve relations with Indigenous Peoples. To do so requires avoiding the massive hydro development that Canada's mid-century climate plan would re- quire and instead rapidly transition to modern energy sources.