York has been chosen as the first city in the UK to be measured in this way and the results may help to shape future transport policy as well as how consumer goods are produced and disposed of.
A carbon footprint indicates how much of the Earth's resources are used by each human being, by measuring an individual's energy consumption and waste production and how many hectares of forest would be needed to produce the goods and absorb emissions all that activity causes.
At present the only data on the measurement comes from the US and Europe but Leeds-based national charity Carplus said York was the ideal choice for the UK's first study as a car club is to start in the city later in the year.
Carplus promotes responsible car use and senior project officer Emma Bretherick said the city's Micklegate ward presented a good mix of households for the study.
Group and individual questionnaires are about to be sent out to 2,000 households, which have until September to reply.
The respondents will be questioned again in six and 12 months' time.
Questions ask about modes of everyday transport and holiday destinations and what type of transport was used to get there. Residents' opinions about transport are another section.
The replies will be used to produce individual, household and neighbourhood carbon footprints at each stage of the project.
The results will then be used to see where environmental improvements have been made and how easily carbon footprints relating to travel can be reduced.
Ms Bretherick said the survey would enable the Government to see what role car clubs could play in reducing the country's carbon dioxide emissions and which communities they work best in.
"But we are also taking the opportunity to look at the whole life cycle of the car – production, usage and disposal – so we will also be able to see which parts of the life cycle are the problem areas and how best to tackle them," she said.
Vehicle dismantlers may offer incentives to ensure people correctly dispose of their cars and car parts and Carplus hopes to involve a motor manufacturer, to supply the car club with "greener" vehicles.
Carplus co-director Philip Igoe said: "Road transport creates about a quarter of the UK's carbon emissions and that figure is increasing.
"There is no doubt that car clubs play a significant role in reducing the environmental cost of our car use."