The fact that this is down voted shows what an elephant in the room this really is.

This sort of thinking that you have the power to make a change is a religious belief and a control mechanism our society has to prevent revolutions and evolution. You want change, it will have to be revolutionary with completely different economic logic than that which is the basis of our society. Short of that any action is a drop in the ocean of economic policy, human psychology, desire, consumerism, etc. The various forces that make us produce and consume at greater and greater levels and at greater and greater speed with reckless abandon to pretty much anything else. At best we pay lip service to these things the same way kids do to their parents when they know they're not doing right but enjoy doing it, stuff like sex.

You've lost me towards the end. However I disagree with your opener. If you change your habits and appear to lead a happier, more satisfying life others will notice this and adopt similar habits. A sort-of reverse keeping up with the joneses.