The Diabetes #Walk2014 with its catchy slogan ?Take a step for diabetes? on 7^th November 2014 attracted thousands with its vibrant objective and lively atmosphere. At the picturesque venue of the Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, 17,500 people gathered for a noble cause.

The bubbling crowd enjoyed itself immensely with live music, performances, freebies and other activities that were lined up for the young and the old. There were people of all ages, old and very young, who had come enthusiastically to participate in this walkathon. The walk started and after few minutes, everyone was parched, hence there were stations of water at some distance providing cold water which was sponsored in an immense quantity for the satisfaction of the crowd.

As everyone quenched their thirst, I noticed something horrifying which immediately caught my eye as an environmentalist. The people left their bottles either half-filled or just took a few sips and threw the bottles away. As a result, there were half filled plastic bottles strewn on the ground. If ignored, they would have remained there and eventually, hours after the event, collected and sent to the landfill. But letting it go was not what I was expected to do. Therefore, I collected all the bottles, empty, half-filled or simply opened in a black bag. I took them to the grass patch which was dried up and emptied out all the bottles, one by one. Like this I emptied more than a hundred bottles on to the grass.

In this way I was able to achieve two environmental purposes. 

Firstly, to empty the bottles and take them so that they can be recycled in a systematic and an efficient manner, and 

secondly, to water the grass and hence, making good use of the remaining water. I took these bottles back to Sharjah where Bee?ah, Sharjah?s Environmental Waste Management Company, has set up RVMs (Reverse Vending Machines), to recycle plastic bottles and Aluminum Cans and to achieve the ?Zero Waste to Landfill by 2015? target. This step taken by me was one which contributed to the general well-being of our mother earth.

Therefore, I would encourage all readers, that whenever they take part in any such event, to make sure that they finish their water before taking some more, and if they are not able to do so, to water the grass or any plant near to them, and then dispose of the bottle in a proper manner, instead of leaving it half-filled and strewn on the ground.