Your comment made me realize that I didn't fully understand the difference between coal and charcoal. I assumed they were functionally equivalent, just of a dif

Your comment made me realize that I didn't fully understand the difference between coal and charcoal. I assumed they were functionally equivalent, just of a different origin. But apparently charcoal is just carbon, and coal contains all kinds of other substances which can be used to create rubber and other synthetics. As a result burning charcoal is much cleaner (though making it isn't), and coal has uses far beyond merely setting it on fire.