We are told that Global warming is on the increase due, in part, to our burning fossil fuels.

I am curious about this.

As a child in the late 50's early 60's I had to walk to school a distance of about 2 miles. I had to wear a smog mask, which, at the end of each day would be black.

I presume this was because most houses burned coal or coke. Now most houses are heated by either gas or electric central heating surely to quantities of coal & coke burnt would have reduced considerably and thus have a much lower impact on global warming then millions of household each burning an amount of fuel.

I do understand it is a global problem and that the UK is only one small nation, but did Europe, for example, not have the same usage of fossil fuels as we did.