‘Harry Potter’s’ Wright talks small sustainability steps

London-born actor Bonnie Wright was just shy of 10 when she began starring as fire-haired Ginny Weasley in the beloved Harry Potter film franchise. As her acting career picked up steam, Wright’s dedication to learning about — and fighting — climate change did, too. Wright turned to directing after graduating from film school in 2012; at the same time, she became increasingly involved with environmental activism, eventually becoming an ambassador for Greenpeace and other groups.

Wright shares her formidable breadth of knowledge in her new book, “Go Gently: Actionable Steps to Nurture Yourself and the Planet.” The guidebook is more thoughtful (and practical) than many celebrity-penned books, and her passion for sustainability is evident. Wright’s goal? To help people take micro-steps toward meaningful change, whether that’s swapping packaged products for homemade ones, deciphering what can (and can’t) be recycled or mending one’s clothes instead of buying new ones.

We spoke with Wright via Zoom. The conversation has been edited for length.

Q: You've been an activist for years. Why write this book now?

A:

Many of the (climate) actions I was taking were in public spaces, whether that was marches or direct actions with Greenpeace. But at home, I was also quietly implementing changes. I began thinking maybe those quieter practices were almost as interesting as the public actions. The book is about enabling us to make better, more informed choices when we’re faced with so many options. The title, “Go Gently,” is (saying) we should be gentle so we can sustain these actions over time.

It mainly focuses on the home; there’s a practice where you choose five items in a certain room and look at the environmental impact of them. “What’s this notebook made out of ? Where is that paper from? What can I do with it when I’ve finished?”

Q: What do people tend to get wrong about sustainability?

A:

We thought for so long that recycling was the answer to our problems. Better systems we could be implementing are refillable, repurposed things, like going to the coffee shop and bringing a reusable cup. Rather than buying new “sustainable” products, what can we be resourceful about within our homes?

Q: What's your biggest hope for your book?

A:

I hate to think people could read the book and just sit on the information. My hope is for people to know that there’s no wrong or perfect way to show up to the climate movement. The planet needs all of us to show up in any way we can, to roll up our sleeves and participate.