Honolulu and Hawaii island. Thinking of moving and retiring there? Think twice. Many homes there cost a million or more, many running to 10 million. It is so expensive living there, that there is now a significant homeless problem, especially for native Hawaiians, who, ironically can’t afford to live where they once did, some even leaving the island.
The writing is also on the wall for these places. They have to export much of their food and gas and oil via tankers. What happens when the tankers don’t come? La-la Land is not a terribly self-sufficient little island and getting more crowded all the time; i.e., the land is mostly used up. And, although wind turbines have begun to be used, there will, inevitably, be an energy shortage and crisis.
Fresh water is another basic Hawaiians are short of, too. It is simply vanishing. Agriculture has declined with the %age of farmers down, from 80+% to 2ish %age. Less water for irrigation. Desalination is too expensive and impractical, too. So the island will eventually come to rely on tankers, too, to bring in water to slake the thirsts of high-rolling residents. Social chaos will, no doubt, ensue when the water situation hits the fan (not unlike Phoenix-Scottsdale area when the water runs out in 20 years thereabouts).
Roads and highways have gone as far as they can be developed also; major congestions with the ever-increasing traffic. Poor urban planning has not helped transportation around the tight little island.
And tourism–people continue to pour in–most Hawaiians workers work in the tourism industry. But, again, ponder the draw on resources and spiralling costs to travel to an increasingly crowded, changed destination which has to fight to maintain that ever-more tenuous source of income with the resort cities in the Americas.
Honolulu and Hawaii–not like they once were in the ’70s and ’80s, and changing fast. Medium-term sustainability seriously in doubt. Big trouble in Paradise when that all that island fresh water gets used up. Many folks are blinkered when it comes to their views of both places.