Eco-sexy Eagles' 'biolicious' couture: Cheerleaders flaunt it at calendar unveiling

Talk about global warming!

The forecast was was hot, hot, hot yesterday as the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders unveiled their latest "eco-sexy" calendar.

The entire cheerleading squad showed off bikinis made of recycled soda bottles and organic cotton by designers Aaron Chang and San Natura Organics.

Jewelry was also made from recycled, repurposed or "up-cycled" materials like animal shells, dried flowers and repurposed silver, guitar picks, melted forks and knives, feathers, and even nuts from Latin and South America. The calendar is printed on recycled paper.

The show played to a packed, appreciative house at 6:30 last night at the Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St.

"By having an eco-friendly calendar, we are definitely setting an example for our fans, and the world," cheerleader Kristin Garofalo said.

The calendar was shot in Aruba, said Amy Mecca, a six-year veteran of the squad and covergirl of last year's calendar, which was the start of the Eagles' eco-sexy initiative.

"It's the second year doing an eco-friendly green theme," she said. "This year the focus was on global warming."

Mecca said the squad was "a little taken aback and a little confused" when told they'd be wearing suits made from former soda bottles.

"Once we saw [and wore] the pieces, we were so excited," she said. "It gave us a whole new sense of awareness" about going green.

"[Aruba] was the most perfect location," Mecca said. "It had beautiful beaches, clear turquoise water, gentle breezes, and it was very dry. It had that desert-like feel."

Just the atmosphere needed for a climate-change theme.

Emcee for the evening was Spike Eskin, music director for WYSP (94.1-FM), who said that fans probably would be too focused on the "biolicious" cheerleaders to notice the background right away.

"You'll see the backdrop the second time you look at the calendar," he promised.

Janelle Stangl, who wore a purple suit of organic cotton and bracelets made from recycled magazines, was one of six cheerleaders just back from an overseas tour in support of troops in Iraq and Kuwait.

"I thought it was a good show - all the girls looked great," said Scott Black, 28, of West Chester. "And what better way to raise awareness than to have the best cheerleaders in the NFL promote it?"

Chris Cox, another bystander, said, "America better listen! Philadelphia is going green, and America should follow our lead." *