diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 9d2170f..d09712f 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 node_modules/
 
 *.log
+.env
diff --git a/app.js b/app.js
index 80a3c36..35c4c68 100644
--- a/app.js
+++ b/app.js
@@ -4,12 +4,23 @@ var favicon = require('serve-favicon');
 var logger = require('morgan');
 var cookieParser = require('cookie-parser');
 var bodyParser = require('body-parser');
+var braintree = require('braintree');
 
 var routes = require('./routes/index');
 var users = require('./routes/users');
 
 var app = express();
 
+require('dotenv').load();
+
+// configure Braintree environment
+var gateway = braintree.connect({
+  environment: braintree.Environment[process.env.BT_ENVIRONMENT],
+  merchantId: process.env.BT_MERCHANT_ID,
+  publicKey: process.env.BT_PUBLIC_KEY,
+  privateKey: process.env.BT_PRIVATE_KEY,
+});
+
 // view engine setup
 app.set('views', path.join(__dirname, 'views'));
 app.set('view engine', 'jade');
diff --git a/example.env b/example.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9fbded5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example.env
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+BT_ENVIRONMENT='Sandbox'
+BT_MERCHANT_ID='your braintree merchant id'
+BT_PUBLIC_KEY='your braintree public key'
+BT_PRIVATE_KEY='your braintree private key'
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 076079b..338759d 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@
     "jade": "~1.11.0",
     "morgan": "~1.6.1",
     "serve-favicon": "~2.3.0",
-    "braintree": "1.30.0"
+    "braintree": "1.30.0",
+    "dotenv": "1.2.0"
   },
   "engines": {
     "node": "4.2.2"