diff --git a/dashboard/local_settings.example.py b/dashboard/local_settings.example.py
index 48163a4..9736fd3 100644
--- a/dashboard/local_settings.example.py
+++ b/dashboard/local_settings.example.py
@@ -9,11 +9,6 @@ https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.0/topics/settings/
 For the full list of settings and their values, see
 https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.0/ref/settings/
 """
-import environ
-import os
-
-env = environ.Env()
-
 # Quick-start development settings - unsuitable for production
 # See https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.0/howto/deployment/checklist/
 
@@ -31,21 +26,25 @@ ALLOWED_HOSTS = []
 # https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.0/ref/settings/#databases
 
 DATABASES = {
-    "default": env.db_url(
-        "DATABSE_URL", default="postgres://postgres:password@localhost:5432/postgres"
-    )
+    "default": {
+        "ENGINE": "django.db.backends.postgresql",
+        "NAME": "postgres",
+        "USER": "postgres",
+        "PASSWORD": "password",
+        "HOST": "localhost",
+        "PORT": "5432",
+    }
 }
 
-
 ## django-payments configuration
 
 PAYMENT_HOST = "http://localhost:8000"
 PAYMENT_VARIANTS = {
     "stripe": (
-        "payments.stripe.StripeProvider", # please don't change this
+        "payments.stripe.StripeProvider",  # please don't change this
         {
-            "secret_key": env.get_value("STRIPE_SECRET_KEY"),
-            "public_key": env.get_value("STRIPE_PUBLIC_KEY"),
+            "secret_key": "",
+            "public_key": "",
         },
     )
 }
@@ -78,6 +77,11 @@ HOSTEA = {
     },
 }
 
-EMAIL_CONFIG = env.email("EMAIL_URL", default="smtp://admin:password@localhost:10025")
-
-vars().update(EMAIL_CONFIG)
+# Please see EMAIL_* configuration options:
+# https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.1/ref/settings/#email-host
+EMAIL_HOST = "localhost"
+EMAIL_USE_TLS = False
+EMAIL_USE_SSL = False
+EMAIL_PORT = 10025
+EMAIL_HOST_USER = "admin"
+EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD = "password"
diff --git a/dashboard/settings.py b/dashboard/settings.py
index 70570dc..03aa88a 100644
--- a/dashboard/settings.py
+++ b/dashboard/settings.py
@@ -9,13 +9,8 @@ https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.0/topics/settings/
 For the full list of settings and their values, see
 https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.0/ref/settings/
 """
-import environ
-import os
-
 from pathlib import Path
 
-env = environ.Env()
-
 # Build paths inside the project like this: BASE_DIR / 'subdir'.
 BASE_DIR = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
 
@@ -86,9 +81,14 @@ WSGI_APPLICATION = "dashboard.wsgi.application"
 # https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.0/ref/settings/#databases
 
 DATABASES = {
-    "default": env.db_url(
-        "DATABSE_URL", default="postgres://postgres:password@localhost:5432/postgres"
-    )
+    "default": {
+        "ENGINE": "django.db.backends.postgresql",
+        "NAME": "postgres",
+        "USER": "postgres",
+        "PASSWORD": "password",
+        "HOST": "localhost",
+        "PORT": "5432",
+    }
 }
 
 
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ LANGUAGE_CODE = "en-us"
 
 TIME_ZONE = "UTC"
 
-# not yet implemented so disabling as it provides performance benefits 
+# not yet implemented so disabling as it provides performance benefits
 # ref: https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.0/topics/i18n/translation/
 USE_I18N = False
 
@@ -157,8 +157,8 @@ PAYMENT_VARIANTS = {
     "stripe": (
         "payments.stripe.StripeProvider",
         {
-            "secret_key": env.get_value("STRIPE_SECRET_KEY", default=""),
-            "public_key": env.get_value("STRIPE_PUBLIC_KEY", default=""),
+            "secret_key": "",
+            "public_key": "",
         },
     )
 }
@@ -192,9 +192,15 @@ HOSTEA = {
     },
 }
 
-EMAIL_CONFIG = env.email("EMAIL_URL", default="smtp://admin:password@localhost:10025")
+# Please see EMAIL_* configuration options:
+# https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/4.1/ref/settings/#email-host
+EMAIL_HOST = "localhost"
+EMAIL_USE_TLS = False
+EMAIL_USE_SSL = False
+EMAIL_PORT = 10025
+EMAIL_HOST_USER = "admin"
+EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD = "password"
 
-vars().update(EMAIL_CONFIG)
 
 try:
     import dashboard.local_settings