From Emily Lowney of the Medfield Energy Committee –
Medfield Energy Committee Announces Heat Pump Pizza Party
The Medfield Energy Committee will hold a Heat Pump Pizza Party on January 29th at 12:00 p.m. at the Center on Ice House Road, as part of the Council on Aging’s Lunch and Learn series. If you have ever wondered about incorporating heat pumps for heating and/or cooling your home, this is sure to be an informative community event.
Greg Sine, an energy efficiency consultant with Eversource, will discuss how investments in efficiency upgrades can make your home or business more comfortable and less expensive to operate. Greg will also discuss the technology behind heat pumps, what makes them so efficient compared to traditional systems, and how their adoption might impact your energy bill — with special consideration of the new residential heat pump rate.
The Energy Committee will also share information about a new Building Code that residents will be asked to vote on at Town Meeting in 2026. The Specialized Code, if adopted in Medfield, would require new homes to be built to increased energy efficiency standards.
Please pre-register for this event by calling the COA at 508-359-3665 by January 27th.
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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Posted onAugust 26, 2025|Comments Off on Anti-Idling Campaign’s 10th Anniversary
From Fritz Fleischmann of the Green Sanctuary Committee at First Parish –
Dear Members of the Select Board,
This is Fritz Fleischmann, a resident of Medfield. I am writing to ask for the Select Board’s continuing support of an initiative the Board endorsed unanimously in 2015.
Ten years ago, the Green Sanctuary Committee at First Parish started a campaign to educate Medfield residents about the State’s anti-idling statute and to encourage them to stop unnecessary idling of their cars. This campaign was co-sponsored by the Medfield Police Department, the School Committee, the Board of Health, as well as civic organizations, and it was endorsed by the (then) Board of Selectmen, who authorized the installation of anti-idling signs in front of public buildings – you will have seen some of these around town.
Today, while the Commonwealth experiences an increase in childhood asthma and the climate crisis has worsened, there is ample evidence that most citizens are still unaware of the statute and the many reasons for it. However, environmental consciousness has also increased: the network of Sustainable Medfield currently includes over two dozen affiliated organizations and groups. And it is with the support of Sustainable Medfield that we are now resurrecting our original campaign, further supported by the Police Department and the Board of Health. Our shared goal is not to penalize but to educate the public.
Importantly, this time around we are working in partnership with the schools. Experience in other towns shows that young people can have significant influence over their parents – persuading them to stop idling, for instance, while waiting in line to pick them up. Our initiative can also provide learning opportunities for students, generate project ideas, and strengthen community. With the beginning of the new school year, Superintendent Dr. Marsden and the principals will inform parents about the Massachusetts statute and ask them not to idle their engines outside a school building. Sustainable Medfield has chosen this anti-idling initiative as the “Action of the Quarter” for the fall.
In 2015, we created a flyer for distribution around town (see attached), and we are currently updating it for today’s use. As part of this effort, we are asking everyone who endorsed us ten years ago to affirm their endorsement for this renewed initiative. With this letter we ask you, the members of the Select Board, to give us your formal endorsement again.
Thank for your attention, and for all your hard work in service to the residents of Medfield.
Fritz Fleischmann
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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%.
From Emily Lowney of Lowney Law and the Medfield Energy Committee –
Electrify your Home with Medfield Energy Committee
The Medfield Energy Committee (MEC) is excited to be partnering with Sustainable Medfield for the next Action of The Quarter this fall: “Electrify your Home.” Climate change is a problem that we are all concerned about, but the good news is that there are solutions. We need to transition away from burning fossil fuels and towards renewable power sources such as wind, solar, and geothermal. In 2021, the Town of Medfield Climate Action Plan identified residential buildings and passenger vehicles as the two largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. For this action of the quarter, MEC is encouraging residents to take action to reduce emissions from our residential buildings.
What do we mean when we say “Electrify your home?” Basically, the goal is for all of the energy usage of the home to eventually come from electricity, including heating/cooling, domestic water heating, appliances, lights, and cooking. That way the home no longer relies on gas or oil. If the home is suitable for solar panels, that is a great alternative way to provide the power for the home. But even if it doesn’t have solar, the electric grid is also getting greener at the same time, so that eventually, all of the sources of power are renewable, and all of the homes are using only that renewable energy for all of their power needs. At the same time, technology is helping make our homes more efficient in how they use energy.
Another important aspect of Electrifying homes in Medfield has to do with NEW homes. There is a new building code having to do with energy efficiency that towns in Massachusetts can choose to “OPT IN” to. This is called the Specialized Code, and Medfield would have to vote at town meeting to adopt this code. Again, this only applies to NEW construction, not any existing homes, renovations/additions to homes, or historic homes. The Specialized Code encourages new homes to be built all-electric so that in the future, homeowners will not have to pay to transition those homes. The Specialized Code still allows homes to be built that use some fossil fuels, but requires that they be pre-wired for future electrification, and have on-site solar generation.
The Energy Committee is seeking public input on whether Medfield should adopt the Specialized Code. Please help us by taking a short, four-question survey here: https://forms.gle/QmuJCQ34Jk5PMMFFA
If you are not planning on building a new home, there is still a lot you can do to Electrify your Existing Home. Check out the following Actions at sustainablemedfield.org: Green Heating & Cooling, Rooftop Solar, No-Cost Energy Assessment, Switch to Induction Cooking, and more.
Posted onSeptember 30, 2024|Comments Off on “Medfield Decarbonizers” webinar, 7:30 PM, 10/8 via Zoom
From Helen Dewey of Medfield Environment Action =
Climate Action in Medfield
Thinking about installing heat pumps in your home or getting solar panels? Maybe your current car needs to be replaced and you are thinking about purchasing an electric vehicle? These are the most impactful actions one can take to decrease their carbon footprint as well as greenhouse gas pollution in the town of Medfield. Many fellow residents have done just that, and you can hear from some of them on Tuesday, October 8th at 7:30 pm. The Medfield Energy Committee dubs them “Medfield Decarbonizers”. Who are they, you might ask? They are Medfield neighbors who drive electric vehicles, have installed solar panels or heat pumps and they are a great resource for anyone considering these investments!
Medfield Environment Action (MEA) and the Medfield Energy Committee (MEC) are hosting a “Medfield Decarbonizers” webinar on Tuesday, October 8th at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Medfield Decarbonizers have taken action to reduce the carbon output of everyday activities such as driving a car, heating and cooling a home or using electricity. Hear the experiences of fellow neighbors regarding their purchases and everyday use of these sustainable technologies and ask them your questions. In addition, learn why one panelist chose to opt up to “Medfield 100”, which supplies 100% renewable electricity through Medfield Community Electricity.
Preregister for the free webinar at tinyurl.com/decarbonizers and the Zoom link will be sent to you. For more information visit meamedfield.org or email MEAMedfield@gmail.com with any questions. Visit the MEA website to see videos of previous, educational webinars. MEA is proud to network with Sustainable Medfield and MEC working together towards Medfield’s Net Zero 2050 Goal.Climate Action in Medfield
Thinking about installing heat pumps in your home or getting solar panels? Maybe your current car needs to be replaced and you are thinking about purchasing an electric vehicle? These are the most impactful actions one can take to decrease their carbon footprint as well as greenhouse gas pollution in the town of Medfield. Many fellow residents have done just that, and you can hear from some of them on Tuesday, October 8th at 7:30 pm. The Medfield Energy Committee dubs them “Medfield Decarbonizers”. Who are they, you might ask? They are Medfield neighbors who drive electric vehicles, have installed solar panels or heat pumps and they are a great resource for anyone considering these investments!
Medfield Environment Action (MEA) and the Medfield Energy Committee (MEC) are hosting a “Medfield Decarbonizers” webinar on Tuesday, October 8th at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Medfield Decarbonizers have taken action to reduce the carbon output of everyday activities such as driving a car, heating and cooling a home or using electricity. Hear the experiences of fellow neighbors regarding their purchases and everyday use of these sustainable technologies and ask them your questions. In addition, learn why one panelist chose to opt up to “Medfield 100”, which supplies 100% renewable electricity through Medfield Community Electricity.
Preregister for the free webinar at tinyurl.com/decarbonizers and the Zoom link will be sent to you. For more information visit meamedfield.org or email MEAMedfield@gmail.com with any questions. Visit the MEA website to see videos of previous, educational webinars. MEA is proud to network with Sustainable Medfield and MEC working together towards Medfield’s Net Zero 2050 Goal.
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Posted onSeptember 12, 2024|Comments Off on Sustainable Yard and Garden Tour – 9/22
From Helen Dewey –
Sustainable Yard and Garden Tour
Medfield Environment Action will be holding a Sustainable Yard and Garden Tour on Sunday, Sept 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. There may not be as much blooming as at other times of the year, but homeowners will discuss what they have planted, how they maintain it and any equipment that they use. It will be set up like a crawl in which folks move from garden to garden, at specific times, providing their own transportation. The fourth yard will be a self-guided tour. There is no cost to attend, and all are welcome. Register ahead of time at https://tinyurl.com/Sustainable-Garden-Tour to receive more details 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 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, Sept 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
Comments Off on Sustainable Yard and Garden Tour – 9/22
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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