diff --git a/.sample-env b/.sample-env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2d11661
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.sample-env
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+CHIPCHOC_EMAIL_HOST=mail.example.com
+CHIPCHOC_EMAIL_PORT=587
+CHIPCHOC_EMAIL_SECURE=false
+CHIPCHOC_EMAIL_USER=user@example.com
+CHIPCHOC_EMAIL_PASSWORD=badexample
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index f8ad5f2..67b22bc 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -19,10 +19,11 @@
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "cors": "^2.8.5",
-    "dotenv": "^8.2.0",
+    "dotenv": "^10.0.0",
     "express": "^4.17.1",
     "express-ws": "^4.0.0",
     "importabular": "^0.2.9",
+    "nodemailer": "^6.6.1",
     "showdown": "^1.9.1",
     "sirv-cli": "^1.0.0"
   }
diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index 69a2b74..4c4f6e7 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -1,11 +1,34 @@
 const express = require('express')
+const nodemailer = require('nodemailer')
 
 require('dotenv').config()
 
+let DEBUG
+
+if (process.env.DEBUG || process.env.CHIPCHOC_DEBUG) {
+  DEBUG = true
+} else {
+  DEBUG = false
+}
+
+if (DEBUG) console.log('Starting ChipChoc in debug mode')
+
+// set up nodemailer
+const perumal = nodemailer.createTransport({
+  // (that's the name of badri's postmaster, in case you were wondering ;)
+  host: process.env.CHIPCHOC_EMAIL_HOST,
+  port: process.env.CHIPCHOC_EMAIL_PORT || 587,
+  secure: process.env.CHIPCHOC_EMAIL_SECURE == 'false' ? false : true,
+  auth: {
+    user: process.env.CHIPCHOC_EMAIL_USER,
+    pass: process.env.CHIPCHOC_EMAIL_PASSWORD,
+  },
+})
+
 const app = express()
 var expressWs = require('express-ws')(app)
 
-const port = process.env.port || 5000
+const port = process.env.CHIPCHOC_PORT || 5000
 
 const cors = require('cors')
 const path = require('path')
@@ -20,10 +43,11 @@ app.get('/air', (req, res) => {
   })
 })
 
+
 app.ws('/hit-send', (ws, request) => {
   console.log('Hitting send on some emails!')
 
-  ws.on('message', (message) => {
+  ws.on('message', async (message) => {
     try {
       message = JSON.parse(message)
     } catch(err) {
@@ -34,11 +58,23 @@ app.ws('/hit-send', (ws, request) => {
       return
     }
 
-    console.log(`\n\n-------------------------- BEGIN EMAIL --------------------------\n`)
-    console.log(`From: ${message.from}\nTo:${message.to}\n\n${message.text}`)
-    console.log(`\n--------------------------- END EMAIL ---------------------------`)
+      if (DEBUG) {
+        console.log(`\n\n-------------------------- BEGIN EMAIL --------------------------\n`)
+        console.log(`From: ${message.from}\nTo:${message.to}\n\n${message.text}`)
+        console.log(`\n--------------------------- END EMAIL ---------------------------`)
+      } else {
+        console.log(`Sending email: ${message.from} -> ${message.to}`)
 
-    // TODO: actually send the email
+        // actually send the email
+        let receipt = await perumal.sendMail({
+          from: message.from || process.env.CHIPCHOC_DEFAULT_SENDER,
+          to: message.to,
+          bcc: message.from || process.env.CHIPCHOC_DEFAULT_SENDER,
+          text: message.text,
+          html: message.html,
+        })
+
+      }
 
     setTimeout(() => {
       ws.send(JSON.stringify({
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 7c5a684..7708283 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -313,10 +313,10 @@ destroy@~1.0.4:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/destroy/-/destroy-1.0.4.tgz#978857442c44749e4206613e37946205826abd80"
   integrity sha1-l4hXRCxEdJ5CBmE+N5RiBYJqvYA=
 
-dotenv@^8.2.0:
-  version "8.2.0"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/dotenv/-/dotenv-8.2.0.tgz#97e619259ada750eea3e4ea3e26bceea5424b16a"
-  integrity sha512-8sJ78ElpbDJBHNeBzUbUVLsqKdccaa/BXF1uPTw3GrvQTBgrQrtObr2mUrE38vzYd8cEv+m/JBfDLioYcfXoaw==
+dotenv@^10.0.0:
+  version "10.0.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/dotenv/-/dotenv-10.0.0.tgz#3d4227b8fb95f81096cdd2b66653fb2c7085ba81"
+  integrity sha512-rlBi9d8jpv9Sf1klPjNfFAuWDjKLwTIJJ/VxtoTwIR6hnZxcEOQCZg2oIL3MWBYw5GpUDKOEnND7LXTbIpQ03Q==
 
 ee-first@1.1.1:
   version "1.1.1"
@@ -732,6 +732,11 @@ negotiator@0.6.2:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/negotiator/-/negotiator-0.6.2.tgz#feacf7ccf525a77ae9634436a64883ffeca346fb"
   integrity sha512-hZXc7K2e+PgeI1eDBe/10Ard4ekbfrrqG8Ep+8Jmf4JID2bNg7NvCPOZN+kfF574pFQI7mum2AUqDidoKqcTOw==
 
+nodemailer@^6.6.1:
+  version "6.6.1"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/nodemailer/-/nodemailer-6.6.1.tgz#2a05fbf205b897d71bf43884167b5d4d3bd01b99"
+  integrity sha512-1xzFN3gqv+/qJ6YRyxBxfTYstLNt0FCtZaFRvf4Sg9wxNGWbwFmGXVpfSi6ThGK6aRxAo+KjHtYSW8NvCsNSAg==
+
 normalize-path@^3.0.0, normalize-path@~3.0.0:
   version "3.0.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/normalize-path/-/normalize-path-3.0.0.tgz#0dcd69ff23a1c9b11fd0978316644a0388216a65"