Go Gently With:

An Earthling at heart, we had the pleasure of spending one morning with Bonnie Wright in her beautiful California home. Learning different methods from her book, Go Gently, about simple ways to reduce our footprint, we are endlessly inspired by her activism and optimism for our planet, Mother Earth.

Tell us a little about yourself?

I am from London and have lived in California for the last seven years. I started my career as an actress when I was nine years old which threw me into a world of storytelling that I fell in love with. I stepped behind the camera for college when I went to film school and have since been telling stories through the medium of film, books, and media content. I have a deep love for Mother Earth, she inspires the stories I want to tell and the relationships I work to foster.


How did you come to decide to create and write Go Gently?

I had been implementing changes in the quiet of my home to have a more tangible connection to the positive impact I could have on the planet. I wanted to better understand how my daily actions connected to the wider global or local issues. I then realized that these practices could be interesting to other people, so I decided to write my book Go Gently. The intention was to make the book as practical as possible, giving tools and recipes that felt accessible and exciting to try. We are often reminded about the terrible things we as humans have done so I wanted my book to be about remembering the power in our creativity, skills and emotions to do great things.

What do you love most about living in California?

I love that we have such a long growing season for fruit and vegetables making it easy to access locally grown food. I love the Pacific Ocean, she is my greatest inspiration. I feel a great sense of adventure here while simultaneously I feel very grounded.


Do you have a meaningful memory that connects you to Mother Earth from when you were young?

My family have a cottage on the south coast of England right on the beach. I have so many memories playing in the sand and sea. The tide at this beach goes really far out which transforms the landscape twice a day, a reminder that nothing on Earth is still.

What does regeneration mean to you?

Regeneration to me means using our individual skills, passion and love to not extract from the earth, not just leave it how it is but to bring new energy and nourishment so that the cup spills over.


How do you connect with Mother Earth today?

I am fortunate enough to have trails right outside my house that lead me through thick overgrown areas of native plants, full of animal life. I feel like I am always sharing my walk with another relative or two in nature. I find my best connection is made when I slow down to a stop and truly listen.


Do you have any advice for people who feel intimidated or scared to make changes in their lives that are more positively impactful to Earth? Ie. composting.

There are so many things that it’s hard to know where to start. I always suggest thinking about an activity or interest you love and see where you could intersect that with positive change. For instance I love to cook so when I first started making changes I focused on the consumer choices I was making with my food, its packaging and waste. I found that much less overwhelming than trying to overhaul my entire home. We are likely to commit to something more long term if we already find joy in it.