Today is Earth Day: a day meant to focus the collective consciousness on the environment, locally and globally. And on Thursday and Friday, the Rochester chapter of the Sierra Club will hold its annual environmental forum.

This year’s event features keynote speaker Maude Barlow, a Canadian activist who’s well-known for advancing the concept of water as a human right. City’s interview with Barlow is available here.

The forum, titled “Protecting Our Great Lakes Forever,” will span two days. Thursday’s session is the usual environmental fair and forum, and will be held at Monroe Community College’s theater in Building 4. The fair starts at 5:15 p.m. and ends at 6:45 p.m. Barlow’s keynote address starts at 7 p.m. and will be followed by a panel discussion with Barlow; the Sierra Club’s state Conservation Director Roger Downs; and David Klein, who leads Lake Ontario conservation efforts for the Nature Conservancy of Central and Western New York.

Last year’s keynote speaker, Jim Olson, a Michigan attorney known for his legal work to protect Great Lakes water, will also participate on the panel.

Friday’s session, which will be held on the RIT campus and requires registration, includes several workshops geared toward water protection, preservation, and conservation.

You can register for the forum or get more information by going to http://newyork.sierraclub.org/rochester/