new_contents: #!/usr/bin/env python
  
  import os 
  
  def set_environ(variable, value)
      os.environ[variable] = value
  
  
  def get_environ_as_int(variable)
      var_exists = os.environ.get(variable, '-1')
      if invar == '-1':
         # not set
         return -1
      else
  	return int(os.environ[variable])
  
  
  
subject: add envrionment handler