Opinion: Protecting our communities while caring for creation

Photo by Travis Wise/Flick

By Father Fabian Arias

As one of the leading pastors at Saint Peter's Church, I believe in the sacred call to care for creation and one another. Environmental stewardship and social justice go hand in hand. That’s why I support S.5062/A.6191, a thoughtful and fair approach to managing packaging and paper waste that aligns with my values and the needs of our vulnerable communities.

We all share responsibility for reducing waste and protecting the Earth. But how we do that matters deeply. The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act, an alternative proposal, takes a one-size-fits-all approach that could harm low-income New Yorkers by raising the cost of essential goods. This bill would require product packaging redesigns, costs that will be passed down the supply chain, hitting small retailers and their customers hardest.

My congregation includes many working-class families facing economic hardship. Higher prices on food and household items—especially in an inflationary climate—would only deepen their challenges. We must not burden the path to sustainability for those with the least.

The alternative bill also promotes bulk purchasing as a way to reduce packaging. But that does not reflect the lived reality of our neighbors. In communities like ours, people often buy groceries a few days at a time, limited not just by finances but by space. Most live in small apartments with little room for storing bulk items, and many rely on public transportation. The assumption that everyone can afford to stock up in large quantities ignores the daily realities of city life.

S.5062/A.6191 offers a far more inclusive and realistic path forward. It places responsibility for managing post-consumer waste on those best equipped to address it: the producers. Through a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO), manufacturers will cover 90% of the cost of waste management. This significantly eases the financial burden on our city and its residents while still promoting recycling, recovery, and reduction goals.

Equally important, S.5062/A.6191 allows diverse input to shape the stewardship plan. It includes voices from different sectors and communities, ensuring that this effort reflects the true diversity of New York. It doesn’t impose unrealistic mandates or force impractical consumer behaviors. Instead, it sets achievable, responsible targets and builds accountability through the Department of Environmental Conservation oversight.

Caring for our environment must never come at the expense of the poor. S.5062/A.6191 offers a path that lifts our shared responsibility without leaving anyone behind. We must also ensure that small business owners impacted by such legislation are educated on the impact it will have and what it will mean for them and the communities they serve. As people of faith, we are called to pursue justice and mercy in all things, and this legislation reflects that calling.

I encourage our lawmakers to support this balanced and compassionate legislation. Let’s protect our Earth and our neighbors together.

Father Fabian Arias is a pastor at Saint Peter's Church, a Lutheran Church in New York City.