Hang around the Squirrel Hill business district around 8 most mornings and you'll see her making her way up Forbes Avenue and surrounding areas, picking up everything from cigarettes to condoms. Ann Rose, 64, a retired teacher and librarian from Squirrel Hill, and her dog, Murray, are on a mission.

Q: Why do you pick up trash along the same route every day?

A: It's the messy route, and it's easily picked up. Boris Weinstein, from Citizens Against Litter, organized a litter pick-up. My zone was from Wilkins to Murray Avenue. I thought those were nice streets with too little to pick up, and so I started looking for trouble.

Q: What do you find?

A: I find cans, bottles, whole hoagies, people's underwear, keys, credit cards, and ATM cards that I always try to return.

Q: Have you ever run into interesting people on your rounds?

A: There was a very aggressive panhandler who used to buy alcohol and drugs for kids. Another guy would ask, "Why the [expletive] do you pick up the trash?" He'd fling newspapers at me.

Q: Is this like a second job now that you are retired?

A: I wouldn't call it a job, but my exercise. I used to run every morning, and then I broke both my ankles. I guess old age started catching up to me. There's a big selfish component to it.

Q: What's your favorite part of living in Pittsburgh?

A: Getting to meet, know and appreciate people from many walks of life. I'm not a naturally outgoing person. If it weren't for the litter control and my dog, I probably wouldn't be meeting people on the sidewalk. But I really enjoy meeting them.

-- Alexa Chu