BASALT — Basalt's Green Team, which advises the town government on environmental issues, was honored by the Town Council on Tuesday night for steering a winning effort in a contest to reduce the use of plastic grocery bags.

Basalt won the Colorado Association of Ski Town's Reusable Bag Challenge, a competition among 31 towns that measured the use and purchase of reusable bags. Basalt earned $10,000 to be applied to the addition of solar panels at a Basalt school.

The competition as a whole prevented 5.26 million bags from going into landfills, according to Tripp Adams, a member of the Green Team with a focus of reducing plastic bag use. Adams and Gerry Terrwilliger accepted a certificate of honor on behalf of the Green Team. Kirsten Dibble Morey was also honored for her effort in encouraging shoppers at City Market to use reusable bags.