As 2009 comes to an end "The Week" (a journalistic round-up of news and events) summed up some of the major statistics of the year. Among them were those related to "our green beliefs".

On a positive note, some 92% of people in Britain consider plastic bags to be harmful for the environment, and 82% think that shops should charge for them. Hurrah!

More disappointingly however,  while 85% think that climate change is, or will be, a threat, only 41% believe human activity is responsible and only 23% think it is the most serious threat facing humankind.

I've mused on our individual approach to Climate Change a number of times in this blog, including the pyschology behind it. Once again I think this divide in statistics is a reflection our our tendency to focus solely on the imminent risks surrounding us, ignoring greater threats until they are on our doorstep.

The difference between plastic bags and climate change is tangible. Literally. We see plastic bags, we have visual images implanted in our minds of tangled up dolphins and sprawling landfills. We own them, we use them, we have a direct impact on them.

Climate Change however, as yet remains largely intangible. Certainly, there are arguments to be made that recent flooding, hurricances and droughts are related to temperature changes, but there is enough uncertainty in circulation to leave people wondering. We don't feel personally impacted. It's a future concern, resting belowing school fees, redundancy and the fact our marriage is on the rocks. So we push it to one side.

We'll deal with it another day.

And to quell that unsettled feeling that perhaps we should be "doing more" we reuse our plastic bags and all feel better for it.