diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 0954366ef7e..176668b4431 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 
 # build directories
 /build
-/install
 /gmon.out
 *.swp
 /.settings
diff --git a/install/env.sh b/install/env.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e9bc1810806
--- /dev/null
+++ b/install/env.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# Here are some useful environment variables for setting up a consistent ROS environment 
+# some information on this can be found here: https://docs.ros.org/en/humble/Tutorials/Beginner-CLI-Tools/Configuring-ROS2-Environment.html 
+export ROS_DOMAIN_ID=19 # this is a random number, it's just important to keep it consistent across shells 
+export ROS_LOCALHOST_ONLY=1 # for our stack specifically, this is quite helpful. 
+
diff --git a/makefile b/makefile
index 4ddb5959fb1..837c56b2949 100644
--- a/makefile
+++ b/makefile
@@ -72,11 +72,11 @@ run-sim:
 # run our stack with default flags
 # TODO: actually name our software stack something
 run-our-stack:
-	ROS_LOCALHOST_ONLY=1 ros2 launch rj_robocup soccer.launch.py run_sim:=True
+	ros2 launch rj_robocup soccer.launch.py run_sim:=True
 
 # run sim with external referee (SSL Game Controller)
 run-sim-external:
-	ROS_LOCALHOST_ONLY=1 ros2 launch rj_robocup soccer.launch.py run_sim:=True use_internal_ref:=False
+	ros2 launch rj_robocup soccer.launch.py run_sim:=True use_internal_ref:=False
 
 run-sim-ex: run-sim-external
 
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ run-manual:
 
 # same as run-real, with different server port
 run-alt-real:
-	ROS_DOMAIN_ID=2 ros2 launch rj_robocup soccer.launch.py run_sim:=False use_sim_radio:=False server_port:=25564 use_internal_ref:=False team_name:=AltRoboJackets team_flag:=-b
+	ros2 launch rj_robocup soccer.launch.py run_sim:=False use_sim_radio:=False server_port:=25564 use_internal_ref:=False team_name:=AltRoboJackets team_flag:=-b
 
 # run sim2play (requires external referee)
 run-sim2play:
diff --git a/source.bash b/source.bash
index 85a5e0bedf1..d86ad19995f 100755
--- a/source.bash
+++ b/source.bash
@@ -9,3 +9,6 @@ if [[ $SHELL == *"zsh"* ]]; then
     source /opt/ros/humble/setup.zsh
     source install/setup.zsh
 fi
+
+source install/env.sh
+