diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c93320
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+ALLOWED_HOSTS=.localhost,127.0.0.1,[::1]
+
+DATABASE_URL=
+
+DEBUG=False
+
+SECRET_KEY=
+
+TIME_ZONE=UTC
diff --git a/lelcsc/settings.py b/lelcsc/settings.py
index 5fa307a..90f9605 100644
--- a/lelcsc/settings.py
+++ b/lelcsc/settings.py
@@ -12,20 +12,25 @@ https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/5.1/ref/settings/
 
 from pathlib import Path
 
+from environ import Env
+
+env = Env(DEBUG=(bool, False))
+
 # Build paths inside the project like this: BASE_DIR / 'subdir'.
 BASE_DIR = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
 
+Env.read_env(BASE_DIR / ".env")
 
 # Quick-start development settings - unsuitable for production
 # See https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/5.1/howto/deployment/checklist/
 
 # SECURITY WARNING: keep the secret key used in production secret!
-SECRET_KEY = "django-insecure-ed5#_cecl9g_7c%c@!v7#0bz)8y(nscc80%z%b^sm&rw1!%m+j"
+SECRET_KEY = env("SECRET_KEY")
 
 # SECURITY WARNING: don't run with debug turned on in production!
-DEBUG = True
+DEBUG = env("DEBUG")
 
-ALLOWED_HOSTS = []
+ALLOWED_HOSTS = env.list("ALLOWED_HOSTS")
 
 
 # Application definition
@@ -79,10 +84,11 @@ WSGI_APPLICATION = "lelcsc.wsgi.application"
 # https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/5.1/ref/settings/#databases
 
 DATABASES = {
-    "default": {
-        "ENGINE": "django.db.backends.sqlite3",
-        "NAME": BASE_DIR / "db.sqlite3",
-    }
+    "default": (
+        env.db("DATABASE_URL")
+        if env("DATABASE_URL")
+        else {"ENGINE": "django.db.backends.sqlite3", "NAME": BASE_DIR / "db.sqlite3"}
+    )
 }
 
 
@@ -110,7 +116,7 @@ AUTH_PASSWORD_VALIDATORS = [
 
 LANGUAGE_CODE = "en-us"
 
-TIME_ZONE = "UTC"
+TIME_ZONE = env("TIME_ZONE")
 
 USE_I18N = True