Marvel Torres and Pat Miles pick up more than 45 pounds of trash a week along East Bay Drive and U.S. Highway 101, within a 5-mile area. The women recycle, donate and redeem as much of the litter as they can, in an attempt to reduce what ends up in the landfill. The three items most frequently littered along their stretch of road, include:

€ cigarette butts - far and away the worst offender, with butts littered about every 3 feet;

€ fast food bags, wrappers and condiments; and

€ plastic grocery bags.

The worst item to pick up alongside the road? Foam packing peanuts, said the trash-walkers.

“They fly all over the place and you can't grab them more than one at a time,” Torres said. “And I worry about them getting down into the bay.”

While picking up litter is a habit formed in part from a hope to leave a cleaner world behind, Torres and Miles said they also believe in recycling and keeping the waterways clean of pollutants. Picking up trash makes them feel they're making a difference - even if it is a minor one.