.footer-bar {
    width: 100%;
    height: 20px;
    background: linear-gradient(to right, var(--color-accent-start), var(--color-accent-end));
    transition: background var(--transition-duration);
}

footer {
    background: var(--color-bg);
    color: var(--color-text);
    box-shadow: 0 -8px 8px -4px rgba(0,0,0,0.2);
}

.footer-container {
    display: flex;
    flex-direction: row;           /* place sections inline */
    flex-wrap: wrap;               /* allow wrapping on small screens */
    justify-content: center;       /* center the group */
    align-items: flex-start;       /* align headings on the same baseline */
    gap: 1rem;                     /* base gap; section margins add more */
    margin-top: 5vh;               /* increase vertical margins */
    margin-bottom: 5vh;            /* increase vertical margins */
    width: 100%;
    padding: 0 2rem;               /* slightly larger side padding */
}

.footer-section h4 {
    margin-bottom: 1.6rem;
    font-size: 1.8rem;
    font-weight: bold;
}

.footer-section p { line-height: 1.5; }

.footer-section ul {
    list-style: none;
    padding: 0;
}

.footer-section ul li { margin-bottom: 0.5rem; }

.footer-section a {
    color: var(--color-text);
    text-decoration: none;
}

.footer-section a:hover { text-decoration: underline; }

.footer-left, .footer-middle, .footer-right { padding-right: 0; }

.footer-left, .footer-middle, .footer-right { text-align: left; }

.footer-section { flex: 0 0 auto; min-width: 0; }

/* Add ~2.5rem horizontal margin to each category */
@media (min-width: 600px) {
  .footer-section { margin: 0 2.5rem; }
}

@media (max-width: 600px) {
    .footer-container {
        flex-direction: column;
        align-items: flex-start;
        gap: 1.2rem;
        padding-left: 6vw;
        padding-right: 6vw;
    }

    .footer-section {
        width: 100%;
        text-align: left;
        padding-right: 0;
        margin: 0; /* remove side margins on small screens */
    }

    .footer-middle, .footer-right, .footer-left { padding-right: 0; }
}