diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..77aca57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+NEXT_PUBLIC_BREVO_API_KEY=your_brevo_api_key_here
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index ac1d86a..34a6f4c 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ yarn-error.log*
 .pnpm-debug.log*
 
 # local env files
+.env
 .env*.local
 
 # vercel
diff --git a/utils/services/emailService.js b/utils/services/emailService.js
index b659cc9..9d7e90e 100644
--- a/utils/services/emailService.js
+++ b/utils/services/emailService.js
@@ -1,9 +1,16 @@
 import axios from "axios";
 import { notify } from "./notification";
-const brevo_key = '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';
+
+const brevo_key = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_BREVO_API_KEY;
 
 export const sendEmail = async (email) => {
   try {
+    if (!brevo_key) {
+      console.error("Brevo API key is not configured");
+      notify("Email service configuration error", "error");
+      return;
+    }
+
     if (validateEmail(email)) {
       const options = {
         method: "POST",