Realistic environmental education?

Leopold has some well founded ideas in his piece "Ecocentrism: The Land Ethic". One, that rather than being conquerors, we must instead work with the land and other creatures around us to maintain a balance and sustainable ecosystem. This is an all too true statement. As the most intelligent creatures on the planet, we fall into the idea that we know what is best or acceptable for the environment, when in fact, we are naive to think we know such things. Instead, what we should be doing is attempting to use our intelligence to find smarter ways of coexistence; alternatives to
I think that his views on the obligations as human beings are also insightful. I think it is a by-product of our busy, materialistic society. He talks about plants and animals that do not have a "economic value" yet are vital to the integrity and stability of the biotic community. This is widespread occurrence that needs to be changed on the individual level. However, I'm not sure that a change can be made such that Leopold thinks. He uses the example that the "true modern is separated from the land..." and this I believe is a vital part of the problem. The majority of our food and water come from places we have never seen nor been involved with, so how can we appreciate what factors hold importance in these fields?
My question for Leopold is this: Do you think that we can make the necessary changes to our culture to change our perceptions on the importance of the land and biotic community? He briefly touches on it at the end of the reading in saying "The fallacy the economic determinists have tied around our collective neck, and which we now need to cast off, is the belief that economics determines all land-use" but does not delve any deeper.I personally would say no. Not until there is a pressure situation such as mass drought or failing agricultural lands to institute such a large-scale reformation. I see the masses continuing along a path of selfishness until the ecosystems we require to survive are barely able to sustain us. I think that while education for a "gentler and more objective criteria for its (land) use" are needed, they do not exhibit the degree of seriousness that is needed for change. We need a more radical and driven view; a "change or else" type of view that calls to the individual and makes it his/her personal responsibility to institute a change.