diff --git a/firebase.go b/firebase.go
index 2a1ee59..409c9f1 100644
--- a/firebase.go
+++ b/firebase.go
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"log"
 	"os"
 
-	"github.com/joho/godotenv"
+	//"github.com/joho/godotenv"
 
 	firebase "firebase.google.com/go"
 	"google.golang.org/api/option"
@@ -14,33 +14,33 @@ import (
 
 // Use godot package to load/read the .env file and
 // return the value of the key (for local env)
-func goDotEnvVariable(key string) string {
+// func goDotEnvVariable(key string) string {
 
-	// load .env file
-	err := godotenv.Load(".env")
+// 	// load .env file
+// 	err := godotenv.Load(".env")
 
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("Error loading .env file")
-	}
+// 	if err != nil {
+// 		log.Fatalf("Error loading .env file")
+// 	}
 
-	return os.Getenv(key)
-}
+// 	return os.Getenv(key)
+// }
 
 // InitializeFirebase initializes the Firebase app and sets the global firebaseClient variable
 func initializeFirebase() error {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 
-	// databaseURL, found := os.LookupEnv("DATABASE_URL")
-	// if !found {
-	// 	log.Fatalf("DATABASE_URL is not set in the environment variables")
-	// }
-	// opt := option.WithCredentialsFile("edusync-7bd5e-firebase-adminsdk-x49uh-af084a6314.json")
-
-	databaseURL := goDotEnvVariable("DATABASE_URL")
-	if databaseURL == "" {
-		return fmt.Errorf("DATABASE_URL is not set in the environment variables")
+	databaseURL, found := os.LookupEnv("DATABASE_URL")
+	if !found {
+		log.Fatalf("DATABASE_URL is not set in the environment variables")
 	}
-	opt := option.WithCredentialsFile("edusync-test-firebase-adminsdk-hk5kl-9af0162b09.json")
+	opt := option.WithCredentialsFile("edusync-7bd5e-firebase-adminsdk-x49uh-af084a6314.json")
+
+	// databaseURL := goDotEnvVariable("DATABASE_URL")
+	// if databaseURL == "" {
+	// 	return fmt.Errorf("DATABASE_URL is not set in the environment variables")
+	// }
+	// opt := option.WithCredentialsFile("edusync-test-firebase-adminsdk-hk5kl-9af0162b09.json")
 
 	conf := &firebase.Config{DatabaseURL: databaseURL}