Sunday night, former vice president Al Gore and actor Leonardo DiCaprio announced that the Oscars had “gone green.”

Looks like local schools will get the opportunity to do the same.

Last week, Dallas County and Selma schools were awarded $18,000 in grants from Gov. Bob Riley.

Dallas County Schools Superintendent Dr. Fannie Major-McKenzie said the grants will save the school system thousands of dollars on energy and utility bills.

The money will be used to fund double-pane windows and programmable thermostat installments at Dallas County High School, Keith Middle-High School and Southside High School.

The double-pane windows reduce the heat transferred between indoors and out while the programmable thermostats adjust indoor temperatures to maximize comfort and efficiency.

According to McKenzie, the installments will save the school system an estimated $13,000 per year.

At Selma High School, T-8 florescent light bulbs with electronic ballasts will be installed.

The new bulbs will provide brighter light and use less energy than the current fixtures that school officials say are some of the oldest in the system.

School officials estimate that the improvements could save Selma High as much as $5,000 annually.

Not only will these changes save both school systems money, but “going green” will be better for the environment in the long run.