diff --git a/lib/core/environ.ex b/lib/core/environ.ex
index bc31981..4269918 100644
--- a/lib/core/environ.ex
+++ b/lib/core/environ.ex
@@ -72,16 +72,19 @@ defmodule Scopes.Core.Environ do
     Core.send_message(rcvr, head, data)
   end
 
-  def send_value(addr, value) do
-    send_message(addr, ~w(csys data)a, %{value: value})
+  def send_value(addr = {dom, _cat, _item}, value) do
+    send_message(addr, [dom, :data], %{value: value})
+  end
+
+  def create(addr = {dom, _cat, _item}, args \\ []) do
+    send_message(addr, [dom, :create], Map.new(args))
   end
 
   def connect(addr = {dom, _cat, _item}, target, op \\ []) do
-    send_message(addr, [dom, :connect],
-      %{target: get_cell(target), op: op})
+    send_message(addr, [dom, :connect], %{target: get_cell(target), op: op})
   end
 
-  # delegating tasks to env
+  # delegating tasks to env (possibly obsolete)
 
   def delegate(env, func) do
     Core.send_message(env, {:exec, func})
diff --git a/lib/core/program.ex b/lib/core/program.ex
index 8f1e68c..db29328 100644
--- a/lib/core/program.ex
+++ b/lib/core/program.ex
@@ -126,12 +126,10 @@ defmodule Scopes.Core.Program do
     two = {:csys, :c00, "1-1"}
     three = {:csys, :s01, "1-1"}
     [ 
-      fn -> Environ.send_message(zero, ~w(csys create)a, 
-        %{op: [Core.data_only(), negate()], addr: one, dir: :pred}) end,
-      fn -> Environ.send_message(one, ~w(csys create)a, 
-        %{op: Core.data_only(), addr: two, dir: :succ}) end,
-      fn -> Environ.send_message(two, ~w(csys create)a, 
-        %{addr: three, dir: :pred}) end,
+      fn -> Environ.create(zero, addr: one, dir: :pred,
+        op: [Core.data_only(), negate()]) end,
+      fn -> Environ.create(one, op: Core.data_only(), addr: two, dir: :succ) end,
+      fn -> Environ.create(two, addr: three, dir: :pred) end,
       fn -> Environ.connect(three, zero) end
     ]
   end
@@ -139,9 +137,8 @@ defmodule Scopes.Core.Program do
   def init_recursive_1() do 
     zero = {:csys, :c00, "0-0"}
     [
-      fn -> Environ.send_message(zero, ~w(csys create)a, %{dir: :succ}) end,
-      fn -> Environ.send_message(zero, ~w(csys create)a,
-        %{addr: {:csys, :s01, "1-1"}, dir: :pred}) end,
+      fn -> Environ.create(zero, dir: :succ) end,
+      fn -> Environ.create(zero, addr: {:csys, :s01, "1-1"}, dir: :pred) end,
       fn -> Environ.connect(zero, zero, negate()) end
     ]
   end