First published in 1968 by Stewart Brand, The Whole Earth Catalogue introduced Americans to green consumerism and quickly became the unofficial handbook of the 1960s counter-culture. Winner of the National Book Award and a national best-seller, TWEC contained philosophical ideas based in science, holistic living, and metaphysics as well as listings of products that functioned within these confines. As many Americans sought to turn their backs on America's culture of consumption, TWEC offered an alternative paradigm based in values extending across the counterculture.

TWEC combined the best qualities of the Farmer's Almanac and a Sears catalog, merging wisdom and consumption with environmental activism and expression. The first page declared that "the establishment" had failed and that TWEC aimed to supply tools to help an individual "conduct his own education, find his own inspiration, shape his own environment, and share his adventure with whoever...