diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f1b5595a4..3010cc76b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -7,6 +7,32 @@ It does this by performing multiple solves for conda targeting a set of platform
 This also has the added benefit of acting as an external presolve for conda as the lockfiles it generates
 results in the conda solver *not* being invoked when installing the packages from the generated lockfile.
 
+## why?
+
+Conda environment.yaml files are very useful for defining desired environments but there are times when we want to
+be able to EXACTLY reproduce an environment by just installing and downloading the packages needed.
+
+This is particularly handy in the context of a gitops style setup where you use conda to provision environments in
+various places
+
+### Dockerfile example
+
+In order to use conda-lock in a docker-style context you want to add the lockfile to the 
+docker container.  In order to refresh the lock file just run `conda-lock` again.
+```
+  Dockerfile
+  environment.yaml
+* conda-linux-64.lock
+```
+
+```Dockerfile
+# Dockerfile
+FROM something
+
+ADD conda-linux-64.lock /locks/conda-linux-64.lock
+RUN conda create -p /opt/env --copy --file /locks/conda-linux-64.lock
+```
+
 ## installation
 
 ```