POTSDAM -- Clarkson University is teaming up with College Move Out Week to combat the amount of waste left behind as college students leave campus after the spring semester.

For the second year, areas will be designated throughout campus during the final days of the semester for students to drop off any unwanted items that could be reused or recycled. These items will be collected and sorted for Clarkson's “Take It or Leave It” program from April 27 to May 9, and then the unclaimed items will be donated to local and statewide charities.

College Move Out Week is a regional program that aims to reduce the amount of recyclable and reusable goods entering landfills and instead donate them. Items that are frequently left behind include clothing, linens, household goods, furniture, food and electronics.

The program helps students learn the benefits of reuse and recycling, reduce their impact on the waste stream, and appreciate the value of goods redirected to others in need.

Clarkson University, St. Lawrence University, SUNY Potsdam and SUNY Canton each have independent College Move Out Week programs on campus to collect items from students who are moving out at the end of the semester. The St. Lawrence County Planning Office also will provide logistical support and outreach to students.

A total of six roll-off containers -- approximately 3,000 cubic feet -- of reusable goods were collected from Clarkson University, St. Lawrence University and SUNY Potsdam last year and donated to charities, including Rescue Mission Alliance, Helping Hands of Potsdam, and the C.O.R.C. Thrift Store in Potsdam.

For more information on College Move Out Week, contact the St. Lawrence County Planning Office at 379-2292.

For more information on Clarkson's sustainability initiatives, visit www.clarkson.edu/green.