The Evanston Ecology Center is hosting its annual rummage sale, Eco-Garage, on Saturday.

The event aims to promote recycling as well as raise funds for the center’s animal care program.

“One of the purposes of the event is to reinforce the idea of reusing and re-purposing items,” said Karen Taira, an environmental educator at the Ecology Center. “Our goal is that everything we sell at the garage sale is kept out of the landfill a little longer, given a second life.”

The Ecology Center accepted donations all throughout this week, Taira said. Most items for sale are children’s toys, books, DVDs and housewares, and there are even some animal tanks, Taira said. Many of the books and knickknacks have a nature theme.

The center’s animal care program teaches students at schools, summer camps and scout groups, said Linda Lutz, a board member of the Evanston Environmental Association.

“It’s been a very effective education tool for the center,” Lutz said.

The Environmental Association is helping to sponsor Eco-Garage.

Taira said she knows of three other community rummage sales happening Saturday: at Northminster Presbyterian Church, Lincolnwood Elementary School and Willard Elementary School.

“All of us are kind of advertising each other’s sales,” Taira said. “We’re hoping people just have a rummage day.”

Eco-Garage will run from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday at the Evanston Ecology Center, 2024 McCormick Blvd.

– Brittney Wong