Green Ways Planning's (GWP's) philosophy is that sustainable communities are a sum of their parts. It is the locally-owned businesses, vibrant public spaces, motivated neighborhood organizations, responsive government agencies, and creative residents that help make a community sustainable. Inherent to this community are natural, physical, and social systems that need to be carefully balanced so all can thrive. Sustainable development, or "development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the needs of the future," (Bruntland Commission) is one way that communities can grow and prosper for generations to come.

GWP was founded in January 2004 by owner and principal, Alisa Kane.

Ms. Kane has been employed in the field of sustainable community development since 1994. Before starting GWP, she worked for companies and organizations such as Reach Community Development Corporation, Resource Revival, The ReBuilding Center, Facilities and Planning at Portland State University, and most recently at the City of Portland's Office of Sustainable Development. Ms. Kane has extensive professional experience in fundraising, recycling, program development, and research. Ms. Kane has a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from Portland State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Spanish from Washington University in St. Louis. In 2004, Ms. Kane won a national award for her paper on recycling based economic development from the American Planning Association Economic Development Division.