Target employee vents frustration with company policy following Valentine's Day: 'Makes me want to vomit'

Cupid may have missed the target at a big box store after Valentine's Day wrapped. 

An apparent staff member spied bundles of fresh-cut flowers seemingly trashed at a Target and posted a photo of the heap on the r/Target subreddit, which is full of observations from company employees. 

"Seems like a waste to just throw them out," the Redditor posted. 

The photo doesn't provide a lot of context, such as the store's location or other visual clues. But it does include signs displaying some Starbucks guidelines, which tracks with the image showing the back room of a Target that features one of the cafes. 

One commenter suggested the box containing the flowers might be a compost bin, since the Starbucks-related sign above it points to food waste and composting procedures. So a possible explanation is that an employee was instructed to compost the bouquets and, as some commenters said, potentially was required to leave the packaging in place, per the composting company's procedures. 

In any case, the original poster's point stands: The flowers could have been given away, such as to a nursing home, as noted by at least one commenter. 

Another commenter said, "The amount of usable s*** that gets thrown out makes me want to vomit."

Regardless, the bouquets — which evidently fell short of their love-inspired purpose — highlighted some simple, sustainable actions that any flower buyer can make, especially at home. 

United Kingdom-based Flying Flowers has a list of fragrant hacks that can give your posies a second life. You can dry them to make a wonderfully scented potpourri. Pressed petals can make great features for art projects or mementos from important events. Dried bouquets are also beautiful centerpieces and home decorations.  

"There are plenty of ways you can recycle flowers," the Flying Flowers team wrote. 

What is the biggest reason you don't grow food at home? Not enough time ⏳ Not enough space 🤏 It seems too hard 😬 I have a garden already 😎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

You can even make your own rose water face mist, according to the site. 

Another option is to plant and harvest your own flowers. Growing colorful blooms can offer advantages for the body and the planet. The National Library of Medicine cited "increasing evidence" of gardening's health benefits, such as reducing stress, depression, and anxiety. 

If you grow native flowers, you can help support the health of vital pollinators. Spring beauties, for example, are native to 30 states and are a delicacy for many crucial bee species, according to forester Kyle Lybarger. And gardening is a hobby fit for rural and urban areas. 

For Target's part, company officials included eliminating waste on what is a fairly comprehensive sustainability site. The effort is dubbed "Target Forward."   

"We know sustainability is tied to business resiliency and growth, and that our size and scale can drive change that is good for all. Target Forward deepens our collaboration with our partners and builds on our past efforts to ensure a better future for generations to come," CEO Brian Cornell said in a statement about the strategy. 

The company has 1,978 U.S. stores, so any sustainable action by the giant retailer can quickly add up. Employee and customer observations can play an important role in making sure businesses are holding true to their planet-friendly initiatives and steering clear of greenwashing. That's when companies make powerful promises with little results. 

Commenters on the Reddit post noted that businesses are sometimes hamstrung by vendor rules and other regulations regarding giving away old products.

Making for a more inviting workplace could be a potential workaround. 

"We put ours in the break room," a commenter posted.

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