How we work

Our network consists of different organisations, activist groups and individuals from around the world (with currently most members in the regional network in Europe but also regional networks in Latin America and the Caribbean and South-/East(ern)-Asia). It is coordinated by the Turtles group. Much work is being done voluntarily, while some is being paid, especially from the part-time campaigners. Decisions that concern the whole network are taken in a consensus-based way. Since 2017, we have been organizing network meetings once or twice a year. The in-person meetings (until now always in Europe) allow for online participation, since we find it important that no one flies to the meetings. Read more about the history of our network here

Read more in our network structure and protocols – the basis for our common work.

 

Being a member group or organisation means

  • You are part of our Stay Grounded e-mail list and provide an active spokesperson. We expect list members to share all significant information and report back to their groups.
  • You’re invited to participate in our consensus-based decision making and in our activities (network meetings, actions, etc.)
  • You help us spread our position paper, make it visible on your website and try your best to work towards the vision presented in the paper
  • Your organisation’s logo is included in our “members” section of the website, as well as a link to your website.
  • You actively encourage further organisations/groups etc. to join
  • You receive a yearly report that informs members of the network’s activities

Participation by Individuals

Individuals who support our work and our position paper may sign up for our email lists and participate in network meetings. We assume that everyone is giving their ideas/input/analysis as individuals unless they specifically state that they are representing the opinion of their member group.

Member Contributions

  • Members support the network with financial contribution of 20-100€ per year (or more or nothing). Having this said, we are well aware that our network also includes many small organizations and individuals whose financial situation does not allow them to contribute financially. If possible for your organization, please transfer the member contribution to:
  • Recipient: Periskop // Stay grounded
    IBAN: AT491420020010980039
    BIC: BAWAATWW
    Purpose: Member C [your organisation]

  • You can also donate via credit card, paypal and direct debit using this form. Please indicate Member C [your organisation] as your purpose.

  • If you need a bill, please write us an email to office[at]kollektiv-periskop.org with your address and the amount you want to donate.

Our email-lists

 So far, there are the following email lists:
  • stay-grounded[at]lists.riseup.net a low volume, moderated email list with communication in English and Spanish for decisions that concern the whole network, invitations to network meetings, etc. At least one spokesperson from each member group is on this list to make sure all members can take part in the network’s decisions.
    contact: info[at]stay-grounded.org
  • sg-discussion[at]lists.riseup.net: an optional, unmoderated email-list, you may unsubscribe at any time, with space for exchange of more information which all spokespersons can but don’t have to follow
    contact: info[at]stay-grounded.org
  • rester-sur-terre[at]lists.riseup.net: an email list for communication in French between members and individuals supporting Stay Grounded in France (Rester sur Terre)
    contact: rester-sur-terre[at]stay-grounded.org
  • stay-grounded-iberian[at]lists.riseup.net: an email list for communication in Spanish/Portuguese between members and individuals supporting Stay Grounded on the Iberian Peninsula
    contact: aviacion[at]ecologistasenaccion.org
  • sg-uk[at]lists.riseup.net an email list for communication in English between Stay Grounded members and others working on aviation in the UK
    contact: uk[at]stay-grounded.org
  • sg-latinoamerica-caribe[at]lists.riseup.net an email list for communication in Spanish between members and representatives in the process of joining the network in Latin America and the Caribbean. contact: daniela[at]stay-grounded.org
  • sg-europe[at]lists.riseup.net an email list for communication in English between members and friends in Europe. contact: mira[at]stay-grounded.org
  • sg-south-eastern-asia[at]lists.riseup.net an email list for communication in English between members and representatives in the process of joining the network in South-/East(ern)-Asia. contact: daniela[at]stay-grounded.org

Our online library

We have a shared open-source cloud for materials for members (eg. communication resources), documents for working groups, sharing of lessons learned and scientific papers etc. All members have their own account and can login via cloud.stay-grounded.org or via the “Section for Members” on our website (–>get active –> Engage in the network –> Section for members). In case you have any questions please contact: anne[at]stay-grounded.org

Our social media accounts

@StayGroundedNet is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Mastodon and has a Youtube and Flickr account. Please like and share and join our Telegram Channel!

If you have information that you would like us to share on our accounts, send our accounts a direct message or write to one of our communication campaigners.

The Turtles

  • are a coordination group, consisting of at least 4 spokespeople from our members or individual Stay Grounded members. They are “elected” (through asking for objections) at each annual network meeting.
  • have an online call about once a month and a separate coordinating email list.
  • function as advisory board for the Campaigners, maintain oversight over network processes and
  • guarantee that the process continues, that decisions are implemented and have an overview of what needs to be done.
  • take minor decisions if they are necessary for a process to start/continue, in case it would be annoying for the whole network to be consulted.
  • Members are invited to give feedback to the Turtles and Campaigners. Only through constructive critique and support can the network grow stronger.Find the current Turtles here

Contact for feedback to Turtles (without campaigners): feedback-turtles[at]lists.riseup.net

The Campaigners

are employed in Vienna (Austria) at the small NGO Periskop. They are bound to the decisions taken by the network members, and are part of the Turtles team.

Find the current campaigners here.

Regional Stay Grounded Groups

In some countries, several Stay Grounded members got/may get connected, form their own email lists or even undertake joint activities that are backed by the Position Paper as Regional Stay Grounded Groups. To guarantee the information flow and their integration into the network activities all Regional Groups:

  • are encouraged to designate one representative as member of the Turtles in a democratic process.
  • alternatively (in case of lacking capacity for Turtles participation) they must designate a delegate (and if wished an alternate) to participate in Turtles+ calls (= call with Turtles + regional Delegates, taking place every two months), to exchange information about what is happening in the active regions, and in the Stay Grounded network. The delegate is responsible to feed relevant information from the Turtles+ Calls back to the Regional Network and vice versa.

Working Groups

For each planned activity or special topic, a working group can be formed, who takes its decisions de-centrally. These are the currently active the working groups:

Airport conflicts

  • Researching and visualizing environmental justice conflicts around airport projects in collaboration with the Environmental Justice Atlas
  • Coordination and co-founders of research project: Rose Bridger, Sara Mingorría, contact: mapping[at]stay-grounded.org
  • contact campaigner: Mira (mira[at]stay-grounded.org)

Greenwashing, False Solutions & NETs

  • Detailing and publicising the dangerous, unrealistic and exploitative nature of many false solutions and greenwashing narratives pushed by the aviation industry
  • Coordination: Steve (bigg-les[at]riseup.net)
  • Contact campaigner: Anne (anne[at]stay-grounded.org)

Tourism & Aviation

  • Working group to encourage deeper reflections about the connection between tourism and aviation and what focus areas that we should work on. This group shouldn’t aim at producing more reports or papers, but have a different kind of activity.
  • Coordination: Daniela (daniela[at]stay-grounded.org)

Caps & Limits

  • Exchange about campaigns to limit airport capacity with a mostly European focus.

  • Coordination: Lounes (lounes[at]stay-grounded.org)

Working Groups without current project

Currently not producing content or undertaking ongoing activities, but still exchange on the topic and are a source of expertise.

Noise/Health Impacts of Aviation

Agrofuels

Frequent Flyer Programmes

  • Works on development and promotion of campaigning to bring the airlines’ rewards programmes to an end
  • Coordination: Larry Edwards: Larry[at]ltedwards.com
  • Contact campaigner: Mira (mira[at]stay-grounded.org)

Total Climate Impact of Aviation

  • Aiming to promote the latest science that aviation-caused climate heating is 3 times that of CO2 alone. The group has completed its work, but you can still join in, if you want to support pushing for the non-CO2-effects being included in communication and policies relative to aviation. Fact-sheet: https://stay-grounded.org/fact-sheet-climate-impact/
  • Coordination: Eric Lombard (lombard71[at]gmail.com)
  • Contact campaigner: Lena (magdalena[at]stay-grounded.org)

Just Transition of Aviation

  • Produced Just Transition discussion paper for aviation. Working to advocate for equity and care for workers and the Global South, particularly in the context of the Coronavirus crisis.
  • Supports critical aviation workers group Safe Landing, which is technically no SG working group (coordination Todd Smith & Finlay Asher info[at]safe-landing.org)
  • Coordination: Anne (anne[at]stay-grounded.org)

 

 

Needs based allowances for active members

Stay Grounded will, funding dependent, set aside a pot of about 3000 € for needs-based allowances for of active members in the network. Often, individuals take on big tasks. The network cannot live without this voluntary engagement of it’s members. Some people might like to be more active but cannot afford doing so because they need to do paid work that leaves no time for these activities. In such cases where people would like to get active on a needed task, but would need money for it, they can apply to the volunteers-pot.

Criteria and decision

The money in this pot is meant to support activities that are relevant to and fit the strategy of the network such as: working groups: coordination, active participation/research, regional group coordination, giving workshops/talks as multipliers. An informal application with the description of planned activities needing financial support can be sent to info[at]stay-grounded.org. An honest assessment of personal needs will be necessary. The network coordination team of Stay Grounded will manage the pot and distribute the allowances according to the proclaimed needs and capacities of the pot. The claims should be made transparent in the respective working groups or with people with comparable activities. It will be mostly a “first-come-first-serve” principle, but half of the pot will remain untouched for the last half of the year, for urgent requests coming up at a later stage. To enable several people to make claims, there is a limit of max. 500€ per claim.

Who can apply?

We especially encourage people from GS countries to apply because this is where our network decided to put a focus on strengthening its work. Turtles might also claim from this pot, for work that is not directly related to the Turtles activities (see Network Structures and Protocols).

Read more in our network structure and protocols – the basis for our common work.