This first section of Ecotopia begins with an editorial announcement from the American newspaper, the Times-Post, that they will be sending their “top international affairs reporter” (1), William Weston, to the neighboring country of Ecotopia, which seceded from the U.S. roughly two decades ago and broke off contact, writing, “The problem now is not so much to oppose Ecotopia as to understand it” (1). What follows this announcement are entries from Weston’s personal journal and his articles filed for the Times-Post, both composed en route to Ecotopia and while he is there, thus establishing the format of the novel that continues throughout and is composed entirely of Weston’s writings.

In the May 3rd journal entry, Weston teases some sort of mission the unnamed American president gave him (which we later find out is to meet with Ecotopian president, Vera Allwen, and discuss the reunification of the two countries). Weston also describes some of the backstory of how the secession took place, involving nuclear mines buried beneath major American metropolises that may or may not have been an Ecotopian bluff. In any case, Weston’s note to self is to avoid the topic, since the wounds of secession remain raw, even after twenty years.