People often ask us where Sensibee comes from. The short answer is: here. Sensibee is designed and built in London, and many of the components that go into each device are manufactured in the UK.
This is something we’re proud of. It’s something we’re intentional about.
Why we build close to home
We believe that Europe and the UK are a great place for building things. We’re happy to have local supply chains, and we think they’re worth the effort.
It means we know the people and workshops behind our components. It means shorter journeys for parts, and less carbon spent moving things around the world before they reach a hedgerow. And it means supporting skilled manufacturing in the communities around us, rather than treating it as something that has to happen somewhere cheaper and further away.
Being honest about materials
Building anything physical has environmental and social impacts. We’re conscious of that, and we’d rather be straightforward about it than pretend otherwise.
Some of the materials we use still require raw materials to be imported from overseas. We’re aware of this. It’s one of the things we’re working on improving. We’re also aware that not all of the components we use are easy to recycle.
We’re honest in realising that we haven’t yet solved all these challenges. We’re trying to find pathways to use less material overall. To reduce our use of non-sustainable materials. To increase our use of sustainable ones. This is genuinely ongoing, and we expect to be improving on it for a long time yet.
Why it matters to us
Our values are to do things well, and to do them with humility.
We build Sensibee hardware because we want to help people understand and care for the living world. Building it well, and building it responsibly, is part of that. It would be a strange thing to make tools for nature recovery while being careless about their own footprint.
So we try to hold both together. Pride in what we make and where we make it, alongside an honest awareness of where we still fall short.
Above all, we hope, quietly and without overclaiming, that the data Sensibee provides can lead to improved stewardship of our land. A greater presence of insects. Improved habitat for birds, hedgehogs, and other wildlife. And, ultimately, a positive impact on the environment.
That’s the point of all of it. Thank you for being part of this journey.
Best wishes,
The Sensibee team 🐝