When faced with climate change, you might feel small and helpless. After all, what can one person do to make a genuine difference when only a massive, concerted effort can truly turn the tide? Start wherever you feel comfortable — but start now. That’s the message Bonnie Wright shares in her new book, Go Gently: Actionable Steps to Nurture Yourself and the Planet.
For 10 years, starting at the age of 9, Wright starred as Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter film franchise, eventually becoming the titular hero’s love interest. Since wrapping the series in 2011 and acting in other projects, the now-31-year-old, London-born California resident has spent considerable time behind the camera: writing, producing, and directing short films.
Go Gently: Actionable Steps to Nurture Yourself and the Planet
Go Gently: Actionable Steps to Nurture Yourself and the Planet
Wright has also dedicated the past decade of her life to eco-activism. She studied sustainability at University of California, Los Angeles, and has been an ambassador for Greenpeace since 2017, focusing on the plight of single-use plastic pollution in the world’s oceans.
At one point, Wright realized that she wasn’t practicing in private what she was preaching in public. She took a look at her lifestyle and all its eco-unfriendly aspects and set out to change them one by one. As she went through the transition, Wright realized that her journey might be helpful to others seeking to do the same thing and decided to write her first book.
“I felt like a lot of my day-to-day habits weren’t quite in line with these issues or reflecting the things I cared about,” Wright says. “I’d see single-use plastic packaging everywhere, for example. I began to explore different ways that I could lessen the amount of single-use plastics I was relying on. The minute I started shifting some habits, that spread throughout my home [and made me] a lot more aware and intentional with my choices.”
Wright’s guide to practicing sustainability is full of manageable tips that, over time, can make a substantial impact, from crafting DIY cleaning products to creating a compost system. Because implementing so many changes can be overwhelming, she includes exercises and prompts to keep readers motivated. Wright recently talked to Shondaland about sailing the seas with Greenpeace, leaning on others when the future looks bleak, and attending the 20th anniversary reunion of the Harry Potter film franchise.
CHELSEA GREENWOOD: What inspired you to write Go Gently?
BONNIE WRIGHT: I first got into climate work and environmental work due to my developing concern for ocean health and single-use plastics. It led to me asking questions, seeing how I could be involved and take part, and that began through a relationship with Greenpeace and being an ambassador with them.
A really big turning point for me, which changed from just a concern to something taking over my day-to-day life, was going on a trip on one of Greenpeace’s ships and seeing firsthand how much single-use plastic there was in the ocean.
CG: What was it like being on the ocean with Greenpeace?
BW: One time, they’d been on the ship for two months, and they trawled every single day. There wasn’t a single day that they didn’t bring up some type of plastic. That’s just one ship, on one route, for about an hour or so every day. That’s a tiny, little speck of the ocean where they were collecting data.
That really brought home the issue: seeing it, pulling up that stuff firsthand, looking out at this beautiful, pristine water full of this stuff. I completely shifted my reality and sense of urgency. On those trips, I’ve always been so inspired by the Greenpeace campaigners, who are so passionate and dedicate their life to this work. I always feel super charged up, hopeful, and ready to refocus all my energy after I go on those trips.
CG: How did you first get into eco-activism?
BW: From an early age, I was someone who loved to show up and take part. That’s definitely part of my nature. And that curiosity and that love to be around other people working toward something, which you feel in a movement. When you go to climate rallies, marches, or events, I feel much calmer and happier when I share that work with other people.
But it wasn’t until I began to recognize the increasing amount of single-use plastics and plastic pollution in ocean environments. That’s an environment I really love to be in, and I find a lot of joy in that landscape.
CG: What’s the main message you want to share with readers in your book?
BW: Make the actions you take your own. Often, we can think we need to do what other people are doing, or we see images or stereotypes of activism or advocacy, and we think we need to replicate it. But each of our lives is so uniquely different in just our needs, the access we have to things, our interests, identities, personalities. A big thing I stress in the book is to make it your own so that you actually find joy in it and can sustain it over time. There’s no right or wrong way to do any of it.
I chose an issue I cared about — increased plastics and ocean health — and intersected it with a place I find joy in, which is my kitchen and cooking. I started with that specific area and slowly worked my way out, rather than overhauling my whole life overnight.
CG: Why did you choose the title Go Gently?
BW: It has that hard and soft balance. “Go” is affirmative. We need to be going now. The urgency of the climate crisis is real. And then “gently” is the sustaining part. If we’re not gentle to ourselves or gentle in our actions or in our community, we’re going to burn out or feel bad or work in a way that’s shaming people rather than being inclusive and letting people come to the actions themselves.
CG: What would you say to people who think it’s too late to save the planet?
BW: Finding hope can be challenging. I lean on friends and community and other people in this kind of work to not feel alone. If you ever feel overwhelmed by it, the best thing to do is just get off your phone and go for a walk and just be outside. Or call a friend, or find a local community group to be a part of, and feel like you’re not holding the weight of the world on your shoulders.
CG: What’s one tip that anyone could do right now to help make a difference?
BW: One practice in my book is called an inventory table. Basically, you go to a room and pick up like five items in that space, and ask questions: What material is this made out of? How was that made? How was it farmed? Now that I own it, how do I best take care of it? Am I taking care of it well to make it last long? Then, if I do have to dispose of it, where does that go, and what’s the environmental impact of that?
CG: Do you have a favorite product that replaces single-use plastic?
BW: Something I always carry in my bag that I’ve saved infinite utensils with is a miniature set of bamboo utensils. Once you begin using and loving little things like that, it becomes as obvious as putting your phone in your bag when you need to leave the house.
CG: What was it like celebrating the recent 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and reuniting with the cast?
BW: When I found out that we were doing it, I was honestly so excited and surprised because it’s so hard to get us all in the same place at the same time. I felt so pleased and fortunate that it was organized. It was this bizarre kind of mix of feelings, so surreal and new as an experience.
It’s like we took a trip back in time because, the minute I was around those people — those friends and family I’ve spent so long around — we quickly slipped back into the same kind of characters and roles that [they played on-screen].
My most cherished moment of that day was the moment that we, as the Weasleys, all sat in the Burrow, the Weasley house, and chatted about our experience and the fun that we had playing a family. I feel extra lucky for having this great family, as well as being in Gryffindor.
Chelsea Greenwood is a lifestyle writer and editor whose work has been featured in InStyle, Teen Vogue, Self, Racked, Vulture, Brit + Co, SheKnows, and Vice. Follow her on Twitter @cpgreenwood.
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