About Sanity Fix

The world is full of things that make no sense when you take a closer look.

Sanity Fix takes that closer look. From everyday products to big societal problems, I follow the evidence, ask how we got here, and explore what we could do differently.

Sometimes it’s a quick look at something we take for granted. Other times, it’s a deep dive into research, data, history, and the decisions that brought us to where we are. Either way, the goal is the same: to uncover what’s really going on and find practical ways to make things better.

Word of warning: Some of this stuff is surprisingly absurd.

About me

I’m Jane Houlihan, an environmental engineer, researcher, and writer who has spent more than 30 years investigating problems at the intersection of science, health, and the environment.

I direct research at Healthy Babies Bright Futures, where we investigate children’s exposures to toxic chemicals. Previously, I served on the executive team at Environmental Working Group, where I led the research team in creating the Skin Deep cosmetics database and pioneering consumer tools on drinking water, toxic chemicals, and everyday products. I’m also a founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

I’ve spent much of my career turning complicated science into information people can use - and helping turn that information into action.

In Sanity Fix I apply my research chops wherever I spot the insanity, whether it’s plastic sports fields, toilet paper, food additives, or just the ways we talk past one another.

Thanks for joining me. Let’s take a closer look.

Jane

p.s. How I use AI

Here’s how I DON’T use AI: I write all my posts. I find the stories that need to be told from what I experience and learn in life. I dig in to the data and the studies for each post - the original sources. I also draw all the illustrations by hand.

Here’s how I DO use AI: I use AI as a research assistant, to help identify relevant studies and findings. I verify all the answers, always using original sources as my writing fuel. I ask AI for suggestions once in a while if I write myself into a knot. Some of what comes back helps me edit. I also used AI to create my logo and website banner, in the interest of getting this publication up and running. My to-do list includes replacing them with my own illustrations, but my next Sanity Fix topic keeps winning out instead.

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