MADISON, Wis. -- It's almost moving day for a local company, but instead of dumping decades worth of supplies into a landfill, employees are looking for a greener way of moving.

The plan is also helping area nonprofit organizations.

In preparation for the move to its new corporate facility, Marshall Erdman & Associates' employees gathered more than 16,000 pounds of office material.

"A lot of office folders, highlighters, magic markers, scissors. The kind of stuff you'd find in your desk drawer at home," said shopper Mark Vivian.

Instead of throwing out what they didn't need, the company is hosting a recycling round-up where 50 years worth of supplies are being sold to employees. The profits are going to help the United Way, WISC-TV reported.

Organizers said reusing instead of throwing out is an environmentally friendly way of moving and avoiding landfills.

"They are reusing 8,000 green hanging file folders, so it's not just about recycling here. But it's first we have to reduce, reuse, recycle," said Madison Environmental Group President Sonya Newenhouse.

"I think United Way benefits, and we all benefit from getting some material that might have been in the landfill," Vivian said.

On Thursday, 30 nonprofit organizations took whatever they needed for free. The leftovers might be posted on Craigslist, WISC-TV reported.

The new corporate facility is expected to receive a gold LEED certificate, meaning it is an environmentally responsible place to work.