Harry Potter’s Bonnie Wright says taking out the bins less often feels ‘surprisingly good’

With the recent release of her first book Go Gently: Actionable steps to nurture you and the planet, launched on 19th April to coincide with Earth Day 2022, Bonnie has amalgamated her four-year journey into environmentalism and sustainable living. The book – as well taking readers through 31-year-old Bonnie’s activism journey – is full of home crafting tips, recipes for homemade beauty products, advice on how to use less packaging in the kitchen and bathroom, and advice on how to mend your clothes, and cookery ideas.

The Harry Potter star spoke with Express.co.uk about the book and her path to living sustainably in the USA.

She described how she began her journey working with the international climate charity Greenpeace.

She said: “I wanted to take action and be part of the change I wanted to see.

“At first this was campaigning with Greenpeace on ocean health and plastic pollution and then these actions also began transitioning into the four walls of my home.

“I wanted to understand how the larger issues connected to my day-to-day life.

“After cultivating these practices over the last four or five years I realised that I wanted to share them and that’s where the idea for go gently was born.”

In the second part of her interview with Express.co.uk, Bonnie discussed the practical implications of living sustainably. It came after Bonnie explained how she hopes to tackle big oil companies. 

She said: “Getting big oil companies to start putting people before profit is definitely the biggest challenge we are facing within the climate movement.”

Now, Bonnie explains how she takes the bins out much less these days because she recycles so much more, and how much this small change has felt good.

“I am always surprised at how quickly I can notice a change within my life just by a few little changes, even if that’s my mood,” Bonnie said.

“For instance taking my out less rubbish less often because I was composting my food scraps and using less packaged goods. That felt surprisingly good.”

Bonnie has changed her approach to cooking, making sure to throw less away and use every part of what she buys.

“I love to cook,” the actress said. “For me, it’s a very meditative practice.

“I try to see food as energy and not just the food I consume but even the food scraps like an apple core, which can then be composted and turned into fertilizer so no energy is ever lost.

“What I most enjoy about food and cooking is it directly connects you to the abundance of nature and all that it gives us.”

“That’s why in my book I have explored a wide variety of actions we can take for everyone on different stages of their journey within the climate movement.”

However, Bonnie did suggest one exercise Britons can do to begin their sustainabilty journey, or support the journey they are already on.

She said: “A great exercise to start within my book is the inventory table.

“It gets you to consider the environmental impact of five objects in any given area of the home.”

Go Gently: Actionable Steps to Nurture Yourself and the Planet by Bonnie Wright is published by Greenfinch and out on 19th April (RRP £20).