The weight of bulk and junk mail

We just got back from three weeks away from home. In order to avoid letting our mailbox overflow while we were away, we used the Hold Mail service offered by the US Postal Service. Thanks to that free service, your mail does not get delivered but accumulates at your local post office until you pick it up in person or request it to be delivered again as normal.

Here's a picture of what awaited us:



I separated the wheat from the chaff and was appalled by how much bulk mail and junk mail there was compared to normal, legitimate mail. To get a sense of that, I weighed each pile of mail:

• about 320 grams (11+ oz) of regular mail (mostly bills)

• a little under 1400 grams of bulk and junk mail (1.4 kilos, or 3 lb 1.4 oz!!)

Over the time we were away, we received three times more bulk and junk mail than legitimate mail. The second pile went directly to the recycle bin. What a waste of paper...