Sarah Hasan
Can Companion | Toronto, Ontario
Sarah is a building design professional and sustainability advocate driven by a deep commitment to shaping built environments that not only safeguard the planet but also nurture the communities within it. With mounting global challenges, she believes change starts at the neighbourhood level. With a background in architecture and environmental studies, Sarah partners with municipalities and projects to influence frameworks that create more resilient neighbourhoods. She has led Jane’s Walks, exploring how our surroundings shape actions towards waste and materials. She is eager to learn, experiment, and collaborate to make neighbourhoods and homes less wasteful, more adaptable, and genuinely connected.
About the Project
Robin Wall Kimmerer reminds us that “abundance is fueled by constantly circulating materials,” highlighting that sustainability requires keeping resources in use rather than sending them to landfills. In many neighbourhoods, informal collectors move from park to park, gathering cans and bottles for cash, thereby disrupting the linear waste stream. However, they remain marginalized and lack safe working conditions. Can Companion proposes small, purposeful interventions that make collecting recyclables easier and dignified. By equipping existing bins with simple, hygienic attachments, anyone can safely gather valuable recyclables. Prototyping and community feedback will ensure that the “Can Companion” creates a circular neighbourhood.