Go Gently: Actionable Steps to Nurture Yourself and the Planet

by Bonnie Wright

Overview

An inspiring and approachable tip-filled guide to changing your habits, living more sustainably, and taking action, by Greenpeace ambassador Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter movies)

Go Gently is a guide for sustainability at home that offers simple, tangible steps toward reducing our environmental impact by looking at what we consume and the waste we create, as well as how to take action for environmental change. The title reflects Bonnie Wright’s belief that the best way to change our planet and ourselves is through a gentle approach, rather than a judgmental one. This is a book of do’s rather than don’ts. It’s also an invitation to Wright’s followers to join her on this journey to sustainability.

Going through every room in her home, Wright helps us assess which products are sustainable, and alternatives for those that are not. She shares recipes to avoid waste, homemade self-care products to avoid packaging, small space-friendly gardening ideas, and a template for creating your own compost system. Finally, to sustain yourself, there are exercises and meditation prompts to keep you energized, plus info on how to get involved in community and organizations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780358645559
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	04/19/2022
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	280,355
Product dimensions:	7.60(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

For the past ten years, Bonnie Wright has been advocating for climate justice and the protection of our environment. Her initial focus was plastics in our oceans. She has studied sustainability at UCLA and has used her social media platform of over 3 million to amplify the importance of environmental health. She is also a filmmaker. Initially Bonnie Wright gained fame as Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter films, but this has expanded to a broader demographic in recent years. Since 2017, Bonnie has been an ambassador for Greenpeace, focusing on single-use plastic pollution and the connection to the fossil fuel and petrochemical industry.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Go learn: A Big-Picture Look at the Climate Movement 5

Go see: Observing the Habits You Practice at Home Connect to the Issues at Large 45

Go organize: Planning Tools to Help You Achieve Your Goals 77

Go shop: How Our Choices Create Change 91

Go cook: Recipes Designed with Our Bodies and the Planet in Mind 115

Go keep: Practices to Tend and Mend Your Things to Prolong Their Life 177

Go make: Homemade Products to Nourish Yourself and Your Home 197

Go enjoy: Exercises to Cultivate Joy and Connect with the Planet 233

Go beyond: Finding Your Place in the Climate Movement 261

Resources 279

References 282

Acknowledgments 287

Index 289

Editorial Reviews

03/21/2022

Making one’s home “gentler on the planet” is a breeze thanks to this thoughtful guide from climate activist and actor Wright. As she writes, “We can’t do everything, and we certainly can’t do everything at once,” and, as such, the tips that follow focus on small but sustainable changes. In the kitchen, Wright advises on storage strategies to cut back on food waste (choosing reusable silicone bags over plastic ones is a good idea) and explains composting; in the bedroom, shopping secondhand is the focus; and in the bathroom, soap bars rather than liquid soap and bamboo toothbrushes are nice fixes. Readers will learn to make some household recipes (including essential oil–infused insect repellent balls and homemade toothpaste), as well as some for plant-based milks and veggie burgers that are “designed with our bodies and the planet in mind.” Throughout, Wright sprinkles in interviews with other climate advocates: Greenpeace USA’s executive director Annie Leonard suggests “we can make a difference and have fun doing it,” and urban farmer Manju Kumar urges readers to get gardening. Beautiful color photos and whimsical drawings are a fun, lighthearted bonus. This one-stop shop for getting greener will leave readers feeling ready to address the climate crisis at home. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"The impacts of the climate crisis can feel overwhelming and daunting. Bonnie’s approach to explaining the moment we are in now, coupled with concrete strategies that we can take to make our planet a sustainable place, reminds us that there is hope! Environmental Activism lives in each of us and Bonnie has provided the roadmap in Go Gently.”
—Ebony Twilley Martin, Co-Executive Director Greenpeace USA

 

From the Publisher