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Editors note: This article was produced in partnership with Earth Day Network. In a democracy, every voice matters. Click here to pledge to vote on environmental progress in 2020.

The spread of coronavirus warns against human exploitation of the natural world.

That’s the argument in a new piece by environmental journalist John Vidal. Vidal details how encroaching into natural habitats puts people at risk for new viruses. Ultimately, he argues, we shouldn’t blame bats for coronavirus: instead, we should look at ourselves, and the way we consume natural resources.

Proximity to pathogens

According to researchers, increased human-animal contact puts people at risk of contracting new diseases. Up to 75% of emerging diseases began in nonhuman animals.

Activities like logging and building roads in remote places bring more people in contact with wildlife, increasing the risk of viral transmission. And this isn’t just a rural issue: in cities, people often live close to rodents, bats, and insects, all of which can spread diseases.

One expert, Kate Jones, said:

We are going into largely undisturbed places and being exposed more and more. We are creating habitats where viruses are transmitted more easily, and then we are surprised that we have new ones.

Wuhan’s wet market

Many believe that coronavirus emerged in a wet market on Wuhan.

Wet markets sell fresh meat and produce. Shoppers crowd close to live animals of various species. Vendors often slaughter those animals on the spot. The markets frequently lack proper drainage systems, putting people in close contact with animal refuse. One researcher refers to them as the “perfect storm for cross-species transmission of pathogens.”

However, banning the markets isn’t the answer. These markets are vital for providing food to millions. Laws against their existence will likely only force them underground, making them more unsafe.

A multifaceted solution

Instead, researchers say we need to look at the wild animal trade that brings wildlife into these markets in the first place. We also must rethink the demand for natural resources that leads to environmental exploitation. And we need to invest in more sustainable urban planning.

It’s important to remember that environmental issues don’t exist in a vacuum. For example, indigenous people protect about 80% of the world’s biodiversity. Yet when they fight against logging, pipelines, and other encroachments on their lands, they risk death.

If we want to prevent another outbreak like coronavirus, we need to start by reconsidering how we relate to the natural world. And that can’t be done without addressing systems like capitalism and colonialism that encourage resource exploitation. Effective environmental activism must take all these factors into consideration.