A British family from Castle Cary in Somerset embarked on a remarkable adventure by traveling to Sydney, Australia, and back without flying. Shannon Coggins, Theo Simon, and their daughter Rosa spent a total of 10 months out of the country, using various modes of transport including train, taxi, boat, and bus. The family made the decision to give up flying in 2002 due to its environmental impact. Their journey to Australia took months, with stops in countries like Sumatra to see orangutans and have heart-warming animal encounters. Rosa even worked as a sandwich artist in Australia to help pay for her stay and had the opportunity to be an extra in a Chinese film on the journey back. The family's goal was to limit their environmental impact, as flying from the UK to Australia produces roughly 3.5 tonnes of CO2 per economy passenger. They estimate that their transport there and back was responsible for a tonne of CO2e each, at least 3.5 times less than the most environmentally friendly flight. While they recognize that going without flying is not feasible for everyone, the family believes that small tweaks to the aviation industry, such as using propeller planes for internal flights and different fuels, could help cut emissions and develop more affordable and efficient alternatives. [95bf32cc]