Arlene Blum — Mountains & Molecules

An early advocate for equality and an overall badass, Arlene Blum is known for many things. She’s an early, female mountaineer who rallied against the boys club mentality and the holder of a doctorate degree in biophysical chemistry. As a mountaineer, Blum led the first American all-women’s ascent of Annapurna, completed a 2,000-mile journey from Bhutan to India and crossed the Alps with a baby on her back. As a scientist, Blum founded the Green Science Policy Institute where she’s led the charge in keeping toxic flame retardants out of consumer products.

In this presentation, Blum will discuss her history in the mountaineering world and talk with Liz Rosenbaum, a Colorado politician and founder of the Fountain Valley Clean Water Coalition, about a subject they’re both passionate about: The current use of toxic chemicals, most notably man-made per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), in everything from carpets to cookware. Touching on the devastating health effects of these chemicals on communities and consumers, Blum and Rosenbaum will look forward, proposing their vision for a future free from dangerous PFAS and what needs to be done to get there.

Watch Green Science Policy Institute’s 4-minute video series on reducing harmful toxins: SixClasses.org.