With new channels for obtaining travel information, people of different social classes are having more foreign travel experiences than those who lived years ago decades. This phenomenon can be proven by thriving tourism industries in all regions, both in developing and developed countries. Living in the 21st century, I am one of the beneficiaries of technological developments such as the invention of airplanes and fuels that bring comfort to tourists around the world. This is a driving force behind my graduation trip to Taiwan which will serve as an example to illustrate the impacts of consumption in travel, food and gifts. This reflective essay aims to investigate the implications behind certain selections of consumer goods or services based on the above experiences. At the end of the essay, it will suggest alternatives to better build a sustainable environment in the future. Thanks to advances in transportation, people's geographic mobility is gradually improved and they can travel freely around the world for leisure; for example, the flight time between Hong Kong and Taiwan is only an hour and a half instead of a month on a cruise before the invention of the airplane. Additionally, round-trip plane tickets from Hong Kong to Taiwan cost an average of HKD 2,000 these days. Thus, travel is no longer reserved for the middle and upper classes but is open to different types of people, including students. Nowadays, the majority of high school graduates tend to take graduation trips. I also planned a senior class trip with my classmates because of this prevailing trend. Given the limited budget and vacation time, we had imagined a route largely chosen by young adults...... middle of paper ......a bus could emit 250 kg of carbon dioxide, while each train round only releases 50 kg for each rider. Thus, vacationers are recommended not to neglect the environmental impact of each type of transportation mode when planning their destinations for their next trips. We should take into account the ecological capacity of society by minimizing the production of greenhouse gases in transport. It is known that humans are generally self-centered and consider their own needs rather than those of the ecosystem. Therefore, we may make donations to non-governmental organizations for carbon offsetting purposes. Despite the introduction of carbon offset programs by several major airlines, passengers have been unable to trace either partner organizations or the use of donations. However, there are alternative green groups that clearly state certain carbon offset projects and the motivations behind them..