A moonlit push up Mount Hood lit a lifelong fire—and it didn’t stop at the summit. Arlene Blum opens up about how a strict, postwar childhood, overprotective grandparents, and one ecstatic first climb shaped her habit of choosing new routes when the obvious path was closed to women. From organizing the first all-women ascent of Denali and leading a death-defying rescue, to launching a 15‑month “Endless Winter” of high altitude ascents, she shares how grief, sexism, and logistics became fuel rather than walls.
Arlene explains how the death of her friend Bruce Carson motivated her to focus on children’s pajamas contaminated with carcinogenic flame retardants, and how one scientific paper—paired with national media—sparked sweeping change within months. Then came tougher terrain: outdated furniture and vehicle flammability standards that pushed toxic chemicals into couches and car seats with little fire safety benefit.
As founder of the Green Science Policy Institute, Arlene breaks down the playbook that works: rigorous research, clear recommendations, unlikely alliances with firefighters and consumer advocates, and a focus on safer design that stops fires before foam ignites.
You’ll come away with a mountaineer’s approach to public health: define the summit, build a resilient team, pace for the long haul, and know when to change tactics. Arlene offers practical steps to cut exposure today—think fresh air in the car instead of recirculating—and offers several resources (listed below) for smarter choices and up-to-date science. It’s a conversation about optimism as a survival skill and how extraordinary persistence can out climb entrenched systems. If the episode resonated, subscribe, share it with a friend who loves mountains or public health, and leave a review to help more listeners find these stories.
Links to more resources:
www.ArleneBlum.com : Arlene's personal website with a photo library of her expeditions as well as links to her resources and talks related to both mountaineering and science
www.SixClasses.org : four-minute videos that explain the six classes of chemicals of concern and how to avoid their use
www.GreenSciencePolicy.org : facilitates safer use of chemicals to protect human and ecological health
PFAScentral.org : all things PFAS chemicals, including a list of PFAS-free products
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Episode hosted by Broad Beta co-founder Jeannie Wall and Cat Coe
Episode produced and edited by Cat Coe
Music by Holizna Radio (intro) and Kirk Osomayo (conclusion). Music sourced from www.freemusicarchive.org.
