Cornell Unplugged encourages mindful tech use, social connection
By Holly Hartigan, Cornell Chronicle
Mikael Murphy-Rendón ’28 is an iPad notetaker. But he never stays in the notes app. He inevitably gets distracted, checking his calendar, email and texts.
But from Sept. 14-20, he plans to take notes in class with pen and paper, seeking a more mindful interaction with his studies.
He’ll be taking part in Cornell Unplugged, a new event that asks the Cornell community to decrease technology use, increase face-to-face interaction and consider that every AI chat, doomscroll and text message has a water, energy and carbon footprint.
“I really hope that students can understand their current relationship with technology and strive to make a more mindful and healthy use of these technological tools,” said Murphy-Rendón, an environmental engineering major in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and a member of the Sustainable Computing Working Group, which is organizing the event.