Imagine a web-based show with elements of Junk Yard Wars, MythBusters, Dirtiest Jobs, This Old House and National Geographic.
Viewers submit a description of a common activity from their lives. For example, I handle a lot of firewood by harvesting deadfall on my family’s land. I’d like to know what the carbon footprint would be, including my body, the chainsaw, the 4-wheeler, and the ultimate consumption of the wood in a the wood-burning stove.
A team of adequately equipped researchers document measuring the carbon output of a controlled recreation of the submitted activity, with proper scientific equipment and techniques, throw in some level of need for ad-hoc development of equiptment to capture the measurements, etc.
Meanwhile, other researchers, not televised) could be working on similar research. Perhaps things that are not as compelling from a documentary perspective.
All of this data could be used to generate a Carbon-footprint calculator.
With enough common behavior documented, you can start applying maths and making accurate projections and such.