diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..90f9d5058166123eb60760bc0edd2da809e74f34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import os
+import sys
+import traceback
+
+import redis
+import psycopg2
+
+
+def env_connect_redis():
+    _redis_url = os.getenv("REDIS_URL", "redis://localhost:6379/")
+    print("Connecting Redis to", _redis_url)
+
+    try:
+        R = redis.Redis.from_url(_redis_url)
+        _ = R.keys()
+        print("Successfully connected Redis.")
+        return R
+
+    except:
+        print("Failed to connect Redis.", traceback.format_exc(), file=sys.stderr)
+
+
+def env_connect_postgresql():
+    _db_host = os.getenv("DB_HOST", "localhost")
+    _db_port = int(os.getenv("DB_PORT", "5432"))
+    _db_name = os.getenv("DB_NAME", "meanspec")
+    _db_user = os.getenv("DB_USER", "meanspec")
+    _db_pass = os.getenv("DB_PASS", "foopassword123")
+    print("Connecting PostgreSQL to", _db_host, _db_port, _db_name, _db_user)
+
+    try:
+        db_conn = psycopg2.connect(host=_db_host, port=_db_port, dbname=_db_name, user=_db_user, password=_db_pass)
+        return db_conn
+        
+    except:
+        print("Failed to connect PostgreSQL.", traceback.format_exc(), file=sys.stderr)