diff --git a/examples/01-http-request.php b/examples/01-http-request.php
index a7cedec..45b9894 100644
--- a/examples/01-http-request.php
+++ b/examples/01-http-request.php
@@ -5,16 +5,20 @@
 //
 // $ php leproxy-latest.php
 //
-// To run the example, go to the project root and run:
+// To run the example (The proxy deafults to localhost:8080), go to the project root and run:
 //
 // $ php examples/01-http-requests.php
 //
-// The proxy can be given as first argument and defaults to localhost:8080 otherwise.
-use React\HTTP\Browser;
+// If you want to run the same example with any other proxy URL, just use:
+//
+// $ http_proxy=127.0.0.1.8181 php examples/01-http-requests.php
 
 require __DIR__ . '/../vendor/autoload.php';
 
-$url = isset($argv[1]) ? $argv[1] : '127.0.0.1:8080';
+$url = getenv('http_proxy');
+if ($url === false) {
+    $url = '127.0.0.1:8080';
+}
 
 $loop = React\EventLoop\Factory::create();
 $proxy = new Clue\React\HttpProxy\ProxyConnector($url, new React\Socket\Connector($loop));
diff --git a/examples/11-proxy-raw-https-protocol.php b/examples/11-proxy-raw-https-protocol.php
index 36969dd..d46ab69 100644
--- a/examples/11-proxy-raw-https-protocol.php
+++ b/examples/11-proxy-raw-https-protocol.php
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@
 //
 // $ php examples/11-proxy-raw-https-protocol.php
 //
-// The proxy can be given as first argument and defaults to localhost:8080 otherwise.
+// If you want to run the same example with any other proxy URL, just use:
+//
+// $ http_proxy=127.0.0.1.8181 php examples/11-proxy-raw-https-protocol.php
 //
 // For illustration purposes only. If you want to send HTTP requests in a real
 // world project, take a look at example #01 and https://github.com/reactphp/http#client-usage.
@@ -20,7 +22,10 @@
 
 require __DIR__ . '/../vendor/autoload.php';
 
-$url = isset($argv[1]) ? $argv[1] : '127.0.0.1:8080';
+$url = getenv('http_proxy');
+if ($url === false) {
+    $url = '127.0.0.1:8080';
+}
 
 $loop = React\EventLoop\Factory::create();
 
diff --git a/examples/12-optional-proxy-raw-https-protocol.php b/examples/12-optional-proxy-raw-https-protocol.php
index 690b68d..ccddfab 100644
--- a/examples/12-optional-proxy-raw-https-protocol.php
+++ b/examples/12-optional-proxy-raw-https-protocol.php
@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@
 //
 // $ php examples/12-optional-proxy-raw-https-protocol.php
 //
-// The Proxy can be given as first argument or does not use a proxy otherwise.
+// To run the same example with your proxy, the proxy URL can be given as an environment variable:
+//
+// $ http_proxy=127.0.0.1.8181 php examples/12-optional-proxy-raw-https-protocol.php
+//
 // This example highlights how changing from direct connection to using a proxy
 // actually adds very little complexity and does not mess with your actual
 // network protocol otherwise.
@@ -24,9 +27,9 @@
 
 $connector = new Connector($loop);
 
-// first argument given? use this as the proxy URL
-if (isset($argv[1])) {
-    $proxy = new ProxyConnector($argv[1], $connector);
+$url = getenv('http_proxy');
+if ($url !== false) {
+    $proxy = new ProxyConnector($url, $connector);
     $connector = new Connector($loop, array(
         'tcp' => $proxy,
         'timeout' => 3.0,
diff --git a/examples/13-custom-proxy-headers.php b/examples/13-custom-proxy-headers.php
index 7c0b866..d48ab7c 100644
--- a/examples/13-custom-proxy-headers.php
+++ b/examples/13-custom-proxy-headers.php
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@
 //
 // $ php examples/13-custom-proxy-headers.php
 //
-// The proxy can be given as first argument and defaults to localhost:8080 otherwise.
+// If you want to run the same example with any other proxy URL, just use:
+//
+// $ http_proxy=127.0.0.1.8181 php examples/13-custom-proxy-headers.php
 //
 // For illustration purposes only. If you want to send HTTP requests in a real
 // world project, take a look at example #01 and https://github.com/reactphp/http#client-usage.
@@ -20,7 +22,10 @@
 
 require __DIR__ . '/../vendor/autoload.php';
 
-$url = isset($argv[1]) ? $argv[1] : '127.0.0.1:8080';
+$url = getenv('http_proxy');
+if ($url === false) {
+    $url = '127.0.0.1:8080';
+}
 
 $loop = React\EventLoop\Factory::create();
 
diff --git a/examples/21-proxy-raw-smtp-protocol.php b/examples/21-proxy-raw-smtp-protocol.php
index de407a0..8b771de 100644
--- a/examples/21-proxy-raw-smtp-protocol.php
+++ b/examples/21-proxy-raw-smtp-protocol.php
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@
 //
 // $ php examples/21-proxy-raw-smtp-protocol.php
 //
-// The proxy can be given as first argument and defaults to localhost:8080 otherwise.
+// If you want to run the same example with any other proxy URL, just use:
+//
+// $ http_proxy=127.0.0.1.8181 php examples/21-proxy-raw-smtp-protocol.php
+//
 // Please note that MANY public proxies do not allow SMTP connections, YMMV.
 
 use Clue\React\HttpProxy\ProxyConnector;
@@ -18,7 +21,10 @@
 
 require __DIR__ . '/../vendor/autoload.php';
 
-$url = isset($argv[1]) ? $argv[1] : '127.0.0.1:8080';
+$url = getenv('http_proxy');
+if ($url === false) {
+    $url = '127.0.0.1:8080';
+}
 
 $loop = React\EventLoop\Factory::create();
 
diff --git a/examples/22-proxy-raw-smtps-protocol.php b/examples/22-proxy-raw-smtps-protocol.php
index f889517..aceb842 100644
--- a/examples/22-proxy-raw-smtps-protocol.php
+++ b/examples/22-proxy-raw-smtps-protocol.php
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@
 //
 // $ php examples/22-proxy-raw-smtps-protocol.php
 //
-// The proxy can be given as first argument and defaults to localhost:8080 otherwise.
+// If you want to run the same example with any other proxy URL, just use:
+//
+// $ http_proxy=127.0.0.1.8181 php examples/22-proxy-raw-smtps-protocol.php
+//
 // This example highlights how changing from plain connections (see previous
 // example) to using a secure connection actually adds very little complexity
 // and does not mess with your actual network protocol otherwise.
@@ -21,7 +24,10 @@
 
 require __DIR__ . '/../vendor/autoload.php';
 
-$url = isset($argv[1]) ? $argv[1] : '127.0.0.1:8080';
+$url = getenv('http_proxy');
+if ($url === false) {
+    $url = '127.0.0.1:8080';
+}
 
 $loop = React\EventLoop\Factory::create();