▁their ▁school , ▁children ▁reported ▁eng aging ▁in ▁mit ig ation ▁and ▁prevent ion ▁behavior ▁more ▁frequently , ▁such ▁as ▁purch asing ▁fewer , ▁single - use ▁pl astic ▁items , ▁appropri ately ▁dispos ing ▁of ▁their ▁waste , ▁and ▁rec y cling . ▁Une put ty ▁et ▁al . ▁( 1 9 9 8 ) ▁found ▁that ▁individuals ▁who ▁had ▁volunte ered ▁to ▁clean ▁be aches ▁continued ▁to ▁remove ▁tr ash ▁from ▁be aches ▁and ▁not ▁l itter ▁months ▁after ▁they ▁had ▁participated ▁in ▁a ▁volunte er ▁program . ▁Furthermore , ▁surve ys ▁and ▁inter views ▁have ▁revealed ▁that ▁once ▁individuals ▁begin ▁volunte ering ▁in ▁marine ▁conservation ▁efforts , ▁they ▁want ▁to ▁continue . ▁ ▁Multiple ▁studies ▁have ▁determined ▁that ▁volunte ers , ▁whether ▁organized ▁through ▁schools ▁and ▁univers ities ▁or ▁individual ▁interest , ▁can ▁significantly ▁reduce ▁the ▁quantity ▁of ▁solid ▁waste ▁on ▁be aches . ▁ ▁N umer ous ▁volunte er ▁beach ▁clean ing ▁programs ▁have ▁been ▁facil itated ▁by ▁schools ▁that ▁promote ▁service ▁learning ▁opportun ities . ▁These ▁studies , ▁in ▁conj unction ▁with ▁research ▁conducted ▁with ▁participants ▁that ▁joined ▁programs ▁entirely ▁volunt arily , ▁have ▁demonstrated ▁that ▁groups ▁that ▁were ▁and ▁were ▁not ▁previously ▁concerned ▁about ▁marine ▁l itter ▁can ▁experience ▁an ▁increase ▁in ▁aw aren ess ▁and ▁knowledge , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁positive ▁behavior ▁change ▁through ▁the ▁hands ▁on ▁experience ▁and ▁learning ▁involved ▁in ▁volunte ering . ▁ ▁Beach ▁clean ing ▁volunte ers ▁re ap ▁the ▁same , ▁if ▁not ▁more , ▁benefits ▁from ▁their ▁participation ▁as ▁individuals