Direct actions accurate enough, however you should take in account for the assets that these people are in control of as well. The average gas station employee can't do amything about the major operations of the Shell/Exon/BP corporation, but the executives in charge of it can. The government can also compelle action by those executives and in theory should be acting on behalf of the population, but are often too swayed by lobbying efforts and promises that the corporation will provide jobs and prosperity if left to their own devices.

Still not arguing that individuals shouldn't cut down on their own as well, too many people including myself have too much stuff about. George Carlin had a wonderful bit about that years ago, you house is just a place to store stuff. On that front one of my biggest focuses in recent years has been in trying to promote 'better, not more' thinking around me. In short it could be expressed as 'nobody is going to be looking to inherit grandma's particle board table from Walmart'. Stop buying cheap garbage where possible and chose your forever piece, or even better learn to build your own, skills are transferable just as goods are.