For as long as you lived on the island of Oahu in Hawai’i, have you ever wondered about overpopulation and what it’s like? There are many people in Hawai’i who enjoy living here. In Hawai'i, especially on the island of Oahu, many tourists come over to enjoy what we like to call paradise. Among all the Hawaiian islands, Oahu is the most populated island. The population is one local issue in Hawai’i that many people don’t realize is a problem. Approximately, 995,638 million people live on the island of Oahu. There are many problems that come along with the local issue of population. For example, the commute to and from work and the cost of living. Another example of local problems that the population brings to the island of Oahu is the cities getting overpopulated. For example, Honolulu has approximately 359,870 who live there and work there. Another city on Oahu is Waipahu. Waipahu has about 44,539 people who live there as well. If you are curious about this local issue, KeAli’i interviewed two people,  Mrs. Valdriz (from Kapolei) and Ms. Andres (from Waipahu)from two of the busiest cities in Oahu, Kapolei, and Waipahu. They shared their point of view on what it’s like living in a busy city. 

Ke’Ali’i interviewed Mrs. Valdriz and Ms. Andres from two different cities on the island of Oahu. The first person Ke Ali’i interviewed is from Kapolei. Kapolei is considered the second-largest city on the island of Oahu.  Mrs. Valdriz has lived in Kapolei since 1995, so about 28 years. Ke’ Ali’i asked her a few questions about her point of view on the population in the city she currently lives in. From the questions that were asked, Mrs. Valdriz mentioned that even though Kapolei is very crowded/overpopulated, she still thinks it’s a great city to live in. “Kapolei has everything you need, such as stores, malls, banks, and housing.” “Not many tourists come and visit Kapolei,” mentioned Mrs. Valdriz.  However, she mentioned that “the best place where you can find tourists is Aulani at Ko’Olina.” “The population doesn’t bother me that much, however, I think the population in Kapolei is great for the city. Even though they are making new things, she thinks it is a great idea to keep building and expanding. However, the cost of living is ridiculous.”  

Today, they are still building more houses, condos, and apartments for people to live in. “The cost of living in Kapolei is caused by the population. I think it’s because Kapolei has a variety of things in one area which makes it convenient for everyone who lives in that city, I think that’s why the cost of living is a lot more expensive.” 

On to the next topic about the commute from the west side (Kapolei) to the east side (Honolulu). Mrs. Valdriz used to work in the heart of Honolulu, right next to the state capital. “The commute from Kapolei to Honolulu was ridiculously long. I hope that the rail can help traffic in the morning and afternoon.”

“ I think it is a good experience for young adults who are just out of college to move to the mainland if they want a good life experience. I think life here in Hawaii is good, but there are potentially better opportunities on the mainland.” 

The second person Ke Ali’i interviewed also lives in a busy city. Ms. Andres currently lives in Waipahu. Ms. Andres  lived in Waipahu for her whole life. On top of that, Ms. Andres also attended the University of Hawai’i. As some of you know, Ms. Andres currently works in Kalihi at Damien Memorial School teaching chemistry, and Ms. Andres shares her opinion about rush hour traffic in the morning and afternoon “The commute from Waipahu to Mānoa was not the greatest. Until today, it did not improve.” “I hope that the rail, TheBus, and other ways of transportation will help  improve transportation.” “Based on the population in Waipahu, I enjoy seeing the city of Waipahu expand. I also enjoy seeing many restaurants and shopping centers in Waipahu. I value everything in Waipahu because I grew up here.”  “I do think the cost of living did go up because of the population in the city of Waipahu, Ms. Andres stated.  As mentioned before, Waipahu is a large city.  

“There are people who do move to the mainland, but however, I think staying home will make you value and appreciate everything you have”, says Ms. Andres. 

In conclusion, both interviewees think that the population in Oahu has gotten a lot bigger, especially in their cities. However, they both value the city they live in because they’ve been living there for a while or their whole life. Even though the population is big, they enjoy seeing the city expanding not only for the tourists but also for the people that are from the island of Oahu and live here.