You could say the Beaconsfield dealer Nigel Worboys was knocking at an open door with his "Antiques are Green" address to 200 delegates at the NEC in Birmingham for a recent Antiques Trade Gazette-organised conference on prospering in a downturn.

The concept has been kicking around the trade for a little while, but it took somebody to crystallise the thinking – and Nigel did that to such a degree at the meeting that in the past week he's launched an organised campaign to put over the message.

It's a simple and quite clever one, pressing any number of touchy-feely buttons.

"The carbon footprint from antiques' original production expired a long time ago, and their continued existence has been testament to a life cycle of at least 10 times an equivalent modern item," he says.

"We are not using up valuable raw material and energy resources in production, and the preservation, maintenance and use of antiques is a recognition of respect to the artisans who devoted their lives to their creation years ago. In summary, our product is sustainable, re-usable and re-saleable."

Setting out the aims of his campaign, he highlighted:

Realigning consumers' perception of antiques as having the additional benefit of being a "green" purchase;

Attracting a new audience who might not have considered antiques before;

Presenting antiques as a possible alternative to a "new" purchase;

Increasing sales for all the trade;

Presenting the whole trade as a united force, with green credentials and a genuine belief that its growth will be for the benefit of future generations.

One of his first aims is for the trade to adopt a logo from one of a number of suggestions, and to encourage its use in their premises and on their stationery and websites.

A website, www.antiquesaregreen.org, is also currently under construction.

The concept is already better known in the United States, and Nigel will be happier when we have caught up.

He says it's good to talk about it with his customers, and add to their pleasure at making a purchase the feel-good factor of doing something environmentally friendly.

But he also believes he will feel a good deal more comfortable when they know all the arguments before they set foot in his shop. "Now that opportunity is here, and I hope that we all unite – dealers, auctioneers, fair organisers, restorers, publishers, anybody involved in the trade – to make this a roaring success," he says.

Nigel's is a timely intervention. Not everybody in the traditional world of antiques has been quick to latch on to green issues, but when it's put to them, most are surprised and impressed by just how neatly their stock – whatever it might be – fits into the formula.

As an argument, the green agenda is certainly one up on the oft-quoted comparison between well-made furniture going for next to nothing in the saleroom and inferior new products for sale at considerably more in the warehouses of modern chain stores.

There were always too many negatives in that line of thinking for some people's taste. This one's not only environmentally friendly – but user-friendly too.