> hydroelectricity is massively damaging to ecosystems Sure, but compare it with the alternatives. Oil and gas are obviously very destructive of ecosystems.

> hydroelectricity is massively damaging to ecosystems Sure, but compare it with the alternatives. Oil and gas are obviously very destructive of ecosystems. But so are lots of renewables. Here's what a silicon mine looks like (used to make solar panels): https://www.mining.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/anglogold-ashanti-digs-itself-out-of-debt.jpg https://www.mining.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/anglogold-... Here's a lithium mine (used to make batteries): https://assets.telecomtv.com/assets/telecomtv/open-cast-mine-11646.jpg https://assets.telecomtv.com/assets/telecomtv/open-cast-mine... Here's a uranium mine (used for nuclear energy): https://energyeducation.ca/wiki/images/8/82/Openpit.jpg https://energyeducation.ca/wiki/images/8/82/Openpit.jpg Compared to these, the habitat displacement from hydro seems very mild. There simply is no energy source that is harmless.