Posted onOctober 22, 2025|Comments Off on Pond Info Session, 7pm, 11/6
Join the Medfield Conservation Commission on November 6, 2025 for an informational update on the recently completed 2025 Medfield Ponds Aquatic Vegetation Assessments.
Posted onOctober 13, 2025|Comments Off on Energy Com. Info Sessions on Coming Specialized Energy Code – 10/22
From the Medfield Energy Committee –
Medfield Energy Committee Educates the Public about the Specialized Building Code
The Medfield Energy Committee will hold two public forums on Wednesday, October 22nd to discuss a new building energy code known as the Specialized Code. Medfield residents will likely be asked to vote on adoption of the Specialized Code at Town Meeting in 2026, and MEC is continuing to educate the public on this topic. Fifty-five other towns in Massachusetts have already chosen to adopt this code.
The Specialized Code requires new construction, only, to be built to increased energy efficiency standards. It is very important to note that the Specialized Code DOES NOT affect any existing homes, renovations/additions to homes, or historic homes. Under the Specialized Code, new buildings can comply by being built all-electric (meaning no oil, gas, or propane fuel is used anywhere in the home). If a new building’s design includes the use of some fossil fuels for heating, cooking, etc., this is still allowable under the Specialized Code, but the code requires that such buildings be pre-wired for future electrification, and to have on-site solar generation.
The Medfield Energy Committee supports adoption of the Specialized Code, given that it is an opportunity to ensure that new buildings in town are built to the best available energy efficiency standards. Additionally, enhanced state funding is available to towns that have adopted the Specialized Code and fulfilled other requirements, as part of the Climate Leaders Program, the next tier of the Green Communities program. Medfield has already received $666,000 in funding under the state’s Green Communities program, and would be eligible for continued and enhanced funding opportunities as a Climate Leaders community. These grants have allowed Medfield to install energy efficient upgrades in municipal buildings and schools when equipment needed replacing, leading to energy savings and reduced carbon emissions.
The forums on October 22nd will be held via Zoom, and will offer two separate sessions. Session 1, beginning at 5:00 p.m., will be geared towards construction professionals, and will include technical information and time for feedback. Session 2 will begin at 7:00 p.m. and is intended for the general public. The Zoom links for these sessions can be found at the MEC website: https://www.town.medfield.net/2308/Specialized-Code
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Medfield Community Electricity (“MCE”) 1st Year, Midterm Report
What is Medfield Community Electricity?
MCE is Medfield’s electricity supply program designed to provide Town residents and businesses with regulated (DPU and Town oversight) alternatives to Eversource’s Basic Service supply offering and offerings from third party suppliers by leveraging the town’s collective buying power. This program was approved by the Medfield Town Meeting in 2021, approved by the Department of Public Utilities in January 2024 and implemented month end in June 2024. Nearly 170 other cities and towns in Massachusetts, including Millis, Walpole and Westwood have similar programs.
Benefits, in summary
Price stability: contract duration 30 months, June 2024 – December 2026 with a set price.
Eversource renews its Basic Service contract every 6 months with probable rate change at each renewal.
Price competitive: all 3 MCE Plan rates have performed favorably to Eversource’s Basic Service Rate to date, saving subscribers money.
More Renewable Energy Consumption: Under MCE, there has been an increase in percentage of power consumed from renewable sources over that of Eversource Basic Service and State mandate. This has removed carbon dioxide that, otherwise, would have been emitted into our atmosphere, a positive environmental impact.
What are the program options?
3 program options: Medfield Basic, Medfield Standard, Medfield 100
Medfield Community Electricity Program Options
Medfield Basic (Equivalent to Eversource Basic Service)
Medfield Standard (default registration)
Medfield 100
Eversource Basic Service- Residential
Price
$0.1265/kWh
$0.13063/kWh
$0.14108/kWh
$0.14884/kWh
Additional Renewable Energy Content
No additional renewable energy content beyond State requirement
Adds 10% renewable energy (MA Class I RECs) beyond State requirement
Provides 100% renewable energy by adding 37% more renewable energy (MA Class I Recs) beyond what the state requires
No additional renewable energy content beyond State requirement
Program Duration
30 months: June 2024 meter reads until December 2026 meter reads
30 months: June 2024 meter reads until December 2026 meter reads
30 months: June 2024 meter reads until December 2026 meter reads
6 Months: August 1, 2025 – January 31, 2026
Enrollment (July 2025)
288
3396
72
615
MCE cannot guarantee savings beyond the current (August 1, 2025 – January 31, 2026) Eversource Basic Service 6 month term rate of 14.885 cents/kWh since future 6 month term rates are unknown. 2025 State minimum renewable energy content required of electricity suppliers – 63%
The Eversource Basic Service Rate for August 1, 2025 – January 31, 2026 is included in the chart above for comparison with the MCE offerings. All MCE options will recognize more savings in the forthcoming 6 month Eversource contractperiod (August 1, 2025 – January 31, 2026). Eversource rates in effect during the MCE program’s first year are as follows (Note: Eversource Small Business Rates have varied slightly from the Residential Rates shown here):
Eversource Basic Service Rates
Term Period
June 1, 2024 – July 31, 2025
Aug. 1, 2024 -Jan. 31, 2025
Feb. 1, 2025 – July 31, 2025
Aug. 1, 2025 -Jan. 31, 2026
Rate ($/kWh)
0.17216
0.15772
0.13241
0.14884
How are the MCE options performing?
Assuming the average residential consumption of 786 kWh/month, $ savings for the period June 2024 – June 2025 follow:
*Most Medfield residents and businesses have a meter read on or around the 23rd of the month. Exact dates are in your Eversource bill.
Small business savings over this period approximate those of residential subscribers.
Subscriber savings (above) have been accompanied by over 3 million kWh of renewable energy consumed in place of more than 2 million lbs of Carbon Dioxide (equivalent to nearly 300 cars per year) that would have been emitted from fossil fuels (https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator).
What will happen after expiration of the current contract in December 2026?
A new RFQ (Request for Quote) will be submitted to Supply providers in the spring of 2026, as was done in March 2024 for the current contract.
The MCE Town Committee (also known as the “CCA”, Community Choice Aggregation Committee), Town Administrator and Select Board must agree to an RFQ response believed to be competitive with market conditions of the time for an extended period, preferably 2-3 years duration, following December 31, 2026.
If you do not participate in MCE yet, how can you sign up?
Eversource Basic Service – You may switch from Eversource Basic Service at any time to an MCE program of choice.
You are under contract with another electricity supplier – You may sign up for the program at any time, but you should check with your current supplier for any cancellation penalties.
To join an MCE program of choice, use the form at electricity.medfield.net or call the supplier, Direct Energy, at (866) 968-8065.
FAQ regarding the MCE program
Participation is voluntary, customers may opt-in or out at any time, without penalty. Opting-out returns a customer to Eversource Basic.
Customers may switch between any of the 3 program options at any time.
Customers in the Low-Income (R2) rate class continue to receive their current percentage discount on their entire electricity bill. Budget billing customers also continue to receive budget billing for their entire bill.
Customers that receive solar electricity benefits from net metering credits, community shared solar or similar payments, continue to receive those benefits.
To opt-in or out or to switch plans, use the form at electricity.medfield.net or call the supplier, Direct Energy, at (866) 968-8065.
What changes when someone joins the Medfield Community Electricity program? There are two parts to an Eversource electricity bill – (1) Supply and (2) Delivery. Enrolling in Medfield Community Electricity changes the Supply part of an Eversource invoice only. Eversource continues to provide all Delivery services, which includes responding to power outages, and continues to manage billing and other management functions.
Where does the voluntary renewable energy come from? The voluntary renewable energy (i.e. the amount above and beyond the minimum required by the State) qualifies as Class I. Class I is the State’s term for new, regional renewable energy which, for Medfield, comes primarily from New England wind and solar projects.
For more information about the Medfield Community Electricity program, go to electricity.medfield.net
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Posted onJune 6, 2025|Comments Off on Sustainable Yard & Garden Tour – Sunday, 6/22, 3–5:30 pm
From Helen Dewey, of Medfield Environment Action –
Sustainable Yard and Garden Tour
Medfield Environment Action will be hosting another Sustainable Yard and Garden Tour on Sunday, June 22, from 3 – 5:30 pm. Attendees will travel to four different gardens in Medfield. The homeowners will walk attendees through the yard and provide an overview of their garden and what makes it sustainable. Homeowners will discuss what they have planted, how they maintain it and any equipment that they use. The garden on Pine St and the one on Stagecoach Rd. were featured in the last tour in September, 2024. Come see the gardens in full bloom in June! It will be set up like a crawl in which folks move from garden to garden, at specific times, providing their own transportation. Car-pooling is encouraged! There is no cost to attend, and all are welcome. Register ahead of time at tinyurl.com/SustainableGardenTour-2025 to receive more information about each garden and any weather related updates.
Why would one want to strive for a yard that has a low impact on the environment? Conventional yard care can be time consuming, is destructive to the eco-system and harmful to an entire food web. For example: poison the grubs, birds are harmed by eating the grubs, use chemicals to achieve green grass, storm water becomes contaminated, moreover turf offers nothing in the way of food for nature. In addition, children and pets can be harmed when exposed to grass and yards with a lot of chemicals.
The homeowners on the tour will show how a sustainable, low impact yard is a work in progress but the benefits include lower maintenance costs, cleaner air to breath, (no gas powered leaf blowers), improved visual appeal, no secondary poisoning through the food web, re-use or composting of leaf materials on-site, conserving water, supporting biodiversity, “the living earth”, precious time available to focus on other activities and a sense of helping rather than harming, everybody wins.
Whether you are an avid gardener interested in learning some sustainable practices that you can implement or just curious as to what it is all about, join us on Sunday, June 22 to take a walk around some beautiful, thoughtful and eco-friendly gardens in Medfield. The flyer with the addresses of the gardens is posted on the MEA website, meamedfield.org. Any questions please email meamedfield@gmail.com
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Posted onApril 12, 2025|Comments Off on Sustainable Medfield’s Action of the 2nd Quarter 2025 = Reject Fast Fashion
From Jackie Alford of Sustainable Medfield –
Sustainable Medfield Announces Action of the 2nd Quarter 2025
Reject Fast Fashion: Refuse/Reduce/Reuse/Recycle
Sustainable Medfield is pleased to announce that its Action of the Quarter is Reject Fast Fashion: Refuse/ Reduce/ Reuse/ Recycle.
Sustainable Medfield works to amplify and elevate messages of its partner organizations to educate residents on issues related to sustainability. We work with TSARC (Transfer Station and Recycling Center), Medfield Environment Action, Medfield High School’s Environmental Club, and other local groups. Our goal is to share ideas on ways to educate the public about the humanitarian cost of Fast Fashion consumerism and the impact of excessive clothing waste on the planet, and to give suggestions on what individuals can do about it. Join other town residents to help us spread the word about this under-publicized crisis.
Throughout the quarter, we will promote special presentations, films and events related to Fast Fashion’s detrimental impact on the environment. For weekly tips and updates, follow Sustainable Medfield on Instagram and Facebook. Sustainable Medfield will also host a booth at several upcoming Medfield Community Market days. Stay tuned for dates and please stop by to say hello and learn more about this topic.
For more information and to access helpful resources visit SustainableMedfield.org and head to the Action Portal.
Sustainable Medfield is an initiative of the Medfield Foundation. Learn more at MedfieldFoundation.org.
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Posted onMarch 31, 2025|Comments Off on Medfield’s earth month ecochallenge 2025
From Kate Blood –
NB – HYPERLINKS IN JPG VERSION ABOVE DO WORK IN THE VERSION BELOW
earth month ecochallenge 2025 April 1 – April 30 Attention Families- In celebration of Earth Month in April, we’re inviting you to participate in an online, worldwide ecochallenge. Please consider participating with your family as one of our Sustainable Medfield team members. This is a wonderful, educational, accessible and dynamic opportunity for shared family experiences. Pick up one piece of trash each day in April… Ditch fast fashion – shop second hand… Watch a movie together on an earth- related theme of your choosing… Borrow from our “Library of Things” – avoid buying more stuff… Take a walk in one of our beautiful local conservation lands… Ride your bike to school one day a week – skip the drive… Skip plastic – BYO bags/coffee mugs/water bottles to refill when out and about… These are just starting points – for those of looking for actions with more heft? Perhaps save a rainforest, clean up an ocean, reverse global warming… There’s plenty for you too. All that said, spring is busy – we get it. The steps are simple: 1) Click this link to become a member of the “Sustainable Medfield” team. 2) Set up an account for you and/or your family. 3) You and your kids choose from hundreds of different earth-minded options, ranging in effort and output. Select actions that feel manageable, meaningful, and motivating. We’re excited for the amazing things our community will collectively accomplish in April! For more information, contact Sustainable Medfield – sustainablemedfield@gmail.com. Warm regards, Kate Blood – ecochallenge Coordinator for the Medfield Community and member/volunteer with: Sustainable Medfield, MEA (Medfield Environmental Action) This event/activity is not sponsored by the Medfield Public Schools.
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Posted onMarch 16, 2025|Comments Off on Curbside Compost Collection Now in Medfield
From Jackie Alford –
Curbside Compost Collection Now Available in Medfield
Medfield residents can easily reduce their organic waste by participating in the new curbside compost collection program provided by Black Earth Compost. This program is the easiest way to divert food scraps from the trash and build a resilient local food system.
How It Works Participants receive a curbside collection cart and certified compostable bin liners to sort their food scraps into. All food scraps, including meat, bones, dairy, soiled paper products, and certified compostable products, are accepted. The material is picked up every other week and taken to one of Black Earth’s four local compost facilities, where it is mixed with carbon, like leaves and sticks, to make finished compost. Participants receive a voucher for a free cubic foot bag of compost, redeemable at participating garden centers in the spring.
Environmental Benefits Curbside composting is gaining momentum as cities and towns across the state support these programs to meet the MA DEP’s Waste reduction goal of 30% reduction by 2030. In addition to reducing waste, composting addresses several environmental crises: • Builds Healthy Soil: Compost improves soil ecology and adds nutrients, leading to healthier foods and higher yields. • Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions: It reduces methane created in landfills and sequesters atmospheric carbon in the soil, supporting our climate. • Protects Our Waterways: Composting reduces reliance on synthetic fertilizers and improves soil moisture retention, reducing runoff. • Creates Resilient Communities: It supports the local agricultural system, reducing our dependence on imported goods.
Subscription and Pricing Subscription plans for every other week pick up are $89.99/6 months or $16.99/month, plus the cost of the bin. The price lowers for everyone as more people sign up. When 350 Medfield households are signed up or pre-registered, the price will be lowered by 20%.
Posted onApril 24, 2024|Comments Off on MEA’s EV Car Show Sunday 1-3 – test drives & ice cream!
From Chris Gordon, Medfield Energy Committee.
I just wanted to give you our latest flyer that has updated information, including we will have EV BMWs for test drives, and what my kids are most excited about, an ice cream truck.
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I started this blog to share the interesting and useful information that I saw while doing my job as a Medfield select board member. I thought that my fellow Medfield residents would also find that information interesting and useful as well. This blog is my effort to assist in creating a system to push the information out from the Town House to residents. Let me know if you have any thoughts on how it can be done better.
For information on my other job as an attorney (personal injury, civil litigation, estate planning and administration, and real estate), please feel free to contact me at 617-969-1500 or Osler.Peterson@OslerPeterson.com.
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