FAIRFIELD -- Student and faculty members of the environmental group Gang Green at Lawrence High School are giving Congress the finger -- an index finger -- and it is painted green.

The group has signed onto a national campaign called Step It Up 2007 for a day of climate action rallies scheduled for today in every state, according to Gang Green leaders Eric Brown, a science teacher, and Linda Woods, an English teacher, at Lawrence.

A rally is set for Mill Island Park at 10 a.m. U.S. Congressman Michael Michaud will be the invited guest. The rally will then move to the Rotary Centennial Trail, which runs along the Kennebec River from Benton into Winslow.

There also is a Step It Up Rally in Farmington from noon to 2 p.m. High school sophomore Amanda Hall is organizing that event.

Rallies also are scheduled in Bar Harbor, Blue Hill, Kennebunkport, Portland, Wiscasset and Mount Desert.

Nationwide, more than 70 members of Congress have pledged to attend Step It Up 2007 rallies, according to the Web site.

The green finger -- pointing skyward -- is the symbol of the day, said Lawrence freshman Danielle Hodgkins of Fairfield.

"The green finger shows that you support the environment," Hodgkins said. "Then inside of your hand (on the palm) you'd be writing your reason that you want to step it up -- what you want to save. I wrote glaciers, I want to save the glaciers from melting."

On Brown's palm Friday at the school were the words "fresh H2O."

Brown said organizers at today's rally will have a green ink pad for participants to roll their fingers on, then write their own message on their palms.

"You just kind of point your finger at the camera and when you open your hand it shows your message," Brown said. "And we're pointing to the sky -- one sky -- we all live under one sky. We want to do green things to keep the sky healthy."

Americans demand real leadership on environmental issues, especially global warming, the group said Friday.

"Step It Up is where schools and organizations decide they want to take saving the environment to a whole new level with actions like carpooling to school and this rally on Saturday," Hodgkins said.

Woods said today's rally in Fairfield is a Gang Green initiative and a part of the national organization.

"Step It Up is an organization that is trying to urge the Congressional delegation to step up their concern for the environment," she said. "Every state in the nation is participating."

Danielle Hodgkins agreed.

"It's important for the entire world," she said. "If everyone gets involved, it helps a lot more. We need as many people as possible to get involved."

Doug Harlow -- 861-9244

dharlow@centralmaine.com