OU recently set aside $21 million of the university’s budget to make the school’s infrastructure more environmentally friendly.

OU is switching to low-water-flow toilets and indoor and outdoor lights that use less energy.

OU Physical Plant spokesperson Amanda Hearn said the changes OU is making will allow the university to use less energy. Annually, the reduction in energy use will be equivalent to the energy 1800 cars would use.

OU also participated in Recycle Mania, a program to encourage recycling. During the contest, which ran from January 18 to March 26, OU students, faculty and staff recycled more than 200,000 pounds of trash.

But OU is not the only one going green; the Oklahoma legislature is too. Led by House Speaker Chris Benge, R-Tulsa, the state Senate and House have both heard several bills dealing with environmental issues and alternative energy sources.

Benge proposed a cluster of bills that provide incentives for Oklahomans to use alternative energy sources, including natural gas, wind, geothermal energy and nuclear power. Other legislators have joined the “green” party;

Rep. Seneca Scott, D-Tulsa, proposed the Green Jobs Pilot Program Act to promote the training of Oklahomans in jobs dealing with alternative energy sources.